you'll scorch your neck with
those burning-glasses you've got in your ears."

"Don't I look nice?" demanded Helena, with a pout.

"You bet you do!" said Madison earnestly. "You've got the swellest thing
on Broadway beaten from Forty-Second Street to the Battery. Now, here
you are"--they had halted before the Patriarch.

The venerable face was turned toward them, as though by instinct the
Patriarch knew that they were there--and his hands were held out in
greeting.

Helena clasped them firmly, and submitted sweetly as the Patriarch drew
her into his arms.

The Patriarch released her after an instant, and his hands, in lieu of
eyes, reaching out to search her face, came bewilderingly in contact
with the picture hat.

Helena, a little uncertainly, looked at Madison.

"Is he _all_ blind?" she whispered.

"Quite blind," said Madison sadly.

Helena's face clouded a little, and into the brown eyes crept a strange,
sudden, sympathetic look.

"Doc," she said, "it--it isn't fair. It's a shame--he can't fight back."

"One error to you, Miss Vail," said Madison pleasantly. "Eliminate the
'Doc.' Don't shed tears, you're down here to be sweet to him, aren't
you--well, get into the game."

Helena turned from Madison, and, impulsively taking the Patriarch's
groping hands, guided them to her cheeks and held them there.

"Lucky dog!" observed Madison; then, raising his voice: "I am sure you
would like to be alone together, Miss Vail--perhaps you will take him
into the cottage. If you will excuse me, I'll help Mr. Higgins with the
trunks."

Madison turned and walked over to where Mr. Higgins, beside the democrat
with a handful of chin whiskers, was observing the scene.

"Fine girl!" declared Mr. Higgins, as Helena, with the Patriarch's arm
in hers, disappeared inside the cottage. "'Pears she must have money,
an' I'm right glad 'count of the Patriarch--said her father an' mother
was dead an' she was alone in the world--them jewels she wore must have
cost a pile. Reckon she's been used to livin' kinder different from the
way folks down here do--hope 'tain't goin' to be so hard on her she
won't want to stay."

"I was thinking about that myself," said Madison gravely, knotting his
brows as he nodded his head. "There's no doubt it will be a big change
for her, but I imagine she had some sort of an idea what to expect--it
is certainly greatly to her credit that she would give up her own
interests unselfishly and come here