the steps, and I knew that she
was going to fetch me her little treasure of gold.

Madge held up the skirt of her gown with one hand while she grasped the
banister with the other. She was halfway up when Dorothy, whose generous
impulses needed only to be prompted, ran nimbly and was about to pass her
on the staircase when Madge grasped her gown.

"Please don't, Dorothy. Please do not. I beg you, do not forestall me. Let
me do this. Let me. You have all else to make you happy. Don't take this
from me only because you can see and can walk faster than I."

Dorothy did not stop, but hurried past her. Madge sank upon the steps and
covered her face with her hands. Then she came gropingly back to me just
as Dorothy returned.

"Take these, Cousin Malcolm," cried Dorothy. "Here are a few stones of
great value. They belonged to my mother."

Madge was sitting dejectedly upon the lowest step of the staircase.
Dorothy held her jewel-box toward me, and in the midst of the diamonds and
gold I saw the heart John Manners had given her. I did not take the box.

"Do you offer me this, too--even this?" I said, lifting the heart from the
box by its chain.--"Yes, yes," cried Dorothy, "even that, gladly, gladly."
I replaced it in the box.

Then spoke Madge, while she tried to check the falling tears:--"Dorothy,
you are a cruel, selfish girl."

"Oh, Madge," cried Dorothy, stepping to her side and taking her hand. "How
can you speak so unkindly to me?"

"You have everything good," interrupted Madge. "You have beauty, wealth,
eyesight, and yet you would not leave to me the joy of helping him. I
could not see, and you hurried past me that you might be first to give him
the help of which I was the first to think."

Dorothy was surprised at the outburst from Madge, and kneeled by her side.

"We may both help Cousin Malcolm," she said.

"No, no," responded Madge, angrily. "Your jewels are more than enough. He
would have no need of my poor offering."

I took Madge's hand and said, "I shall accept help from no one but you,
Madge; from no one but you."

"I will go to our rooms for your box," said Dorothy, who had begun to see
the trouble. "I will fetch it for you."

"No, I will fetch it," answered Madge. She arose, and I led her to the
foot of the staircase. When she returned she held in her hands a purse and
a little box of jewels. These she offered to me, but I took only the
purse, saying: "I accept the purse. It contains more money