, all great anxiety was to be avoided, and then, and
then--Well, at least the blessed light of day might be enjoyed by the
Doctor for years to come.

"But you must not overwork," said the oculist, "and you must not worry.
You must read very little, and you must avoid chills; for should a cold
attack your eyes now the consequences would be serious."

On the whole this verdict was favorable, and the Doctor returned to
Sleepy Hollow with a considerable weight lifted from his mind. As the
train bore him homeward through the mellow, ripened country with the
autumn colors glorifying the landscape, and a rich sunlight casting a
glow over everything, his heart felt peaceful. Even with the better part
of him gone away for ever, he could look forward with pleasure to the
greeting of his children, and find much consolation in the love of their
young hearts.

"After all, there never were girls quite like Helen and Polly," he said
to himself. "They both in their own way take after their mother. Helen
has got that calm which was always so refreshing and restful in her
mother; and that little scapegrace of a Polly inherits a good deal of
her brilliancy. I wonder how the little puss has managed the
housekeeping. By the way, her week is up to-day, and we return to Nell's
and Mrs. Power's steadier regime. Poor Poll, it was shabby of me to
desert the family during the end of Indigestion week, but doubtless
matters have gone fairly well. Nurse has all her medicine bottles
replenished, so that in case of need she knew what to do. Poor Poll, she
really made an excellent cake for my supper the last evening I was at
home."

The carriage rolled down the avenue, and the Doctor alighted on his own
doorsteps; as he did so he looked round with a pleased and expectant
smile on his face. It was six o'clock, and the evenings were drawing in
quickly; the children might be indoors, but it seemed scarcely probable.
The little Maybrights were not addicted to indoor life, and as a rule
their gay, shrill voices might have been heard echoing all over the old
place long after sunset. Not so this evening; the place was almost too
still; there was no rush of eager steps in the hall, and no clamor of
gay little voices without.

Dr. Maybright felt a slight chill; he could not account for it. The
carriage turned and rolled away, and he quickly entered the house.

"Polly, where are you? Nell, Firefly, Bunny," he shouted.

Still there was no response, unless