gnation. Dorothy met her eagerly.

"Are they coming?" she asked.

"Very soon now, miss," replied Katy.

"What delayed them?"

"I--I think they were getting a cup of tea for the strange young lady,
miss. You know she came quite a long way, and she must be very tired."

"Why, that is very true," said Dorothy. "I wonder that I never thought
of that before. It seemed as though I was not missed," and a sigh
trembled over the girl's pale lips as she spoke.

A few moments later Kendal's step was heard in the corridor.

Dorothy sprang eagerly to meet him, and threw her arms impulsively
around his neck.

Was it only her fancy, or did he draw back from the usual caress as
though he did not care to receive it?

Oh! surely not. Since this horrible blindness had come upon her, her
imagination was running riot against her judgment. The one great fear of
her life was that he might cease to love her, now that this great
affliction had come upon her, and she noted every word, every action,
and every touch of his dear hand, and weighed it over in her mind, for
hours at a time, when she found herself alone.

God pity her if that love should ever fail her!

"Shall Miss Vincent see me soon, Harry?" she asked, nestling her head
against his shoulder, her little hands seeking his.

"Very soon now," he responded. Was it her fancy, or did even his voice
seem changed?

"Do you like her?" asked Dorothy, wistfully.

"Like her?" he cried. "Why, she is charming!"

"Is she fair of face?" asked Dorothy, slowly.

"The most beautiful girl I have ever seen!" he cried, enthusiastically,
all forgetful of the girl by his side, to whom his troth was plighted.

The words struck Dorothy's heart with a cold chill, as a blast of icy
winter wind strikes death to the heart of a tender hot-house flower when
its chill breath sweeps across it.

"They say you went down to the train to meet her," said Dorothy.

"Yes; Mrs. Kemp wanted me to," he responded; "and I shall never forget
that meeting with her niece while life lasts, it was so ludicrous. I
arrived at the depot just as the train had stopped, and the passengers
were already pouring from the car. In my haste to reach the throng I
slipped upon a banana peel, and the next instant I was plunging headlong
forward, bumping straight into an old lady carrying numerous bundles and
boxes, who had just alighted from the train.

"There was a crash and a yell, and a roar of laughter from the
by-stande