you go for a little drive with me?"

The blind man's fine old face illumined with pleasure. "I should like it
very much," he said. "It is a long time since I had have a drive."

"It's more like a walk," laughed Allan, as they went out, "with this
horse."

"We sold our horses many years ago," the old man explained, as he
climbed in. "Miriam is afraid of horses and Barbara said she did not
care to go. I thought the open air and the slight exercise would be good
for her, but she insisted upon my selling them."

[Sidenote: About Barbara]

"It is about Barbara that I wished to speak," said Allan. "With your
consent, I should like to make a thorough examination and see whether an
operation would not do away with her crutches entirely."

"It is no use," sighed North, wearily. "We went everywhere and did
everything, long ago. There is nothing that can be done."

"But there may be," insisted Allan. "We have learned much, in my
profession, in the last twenty years. May I try?"

"You're asking me if you can hurt my baby?"

"Not to hurt her more than is necessary to heal. Understand me, I do not
know but what you are right, but I hope, and believe, that there may be
a chance."

"I have dreamed sometimes," said the old man, very slowly, "that my baby
could walk and I could see."

[Sidenote: If Possible]

"The dream shall come true, if it is possible. Let me see your eyes." He
stopped the horse on the brow of the hill, where the sun shone clear and
strong, stood up, and turned the blind face to the light. Then, sitting
down once more, he asked innumerable questions. When he finally was
silent, Ambrose North turned to him, indifferently.

"Well?" The tone was simply polite inquiry. The matter seemed to be one
which concerned nobody.

"Again I do not know," returned Allan. "This is altogether out of my
line, but, if you'll go to the city with me, I'll take you to a friend
of mine who is a great specialist. If anything can be done, he is the
man who can do it. Will you come?"

There was a long pause. "If Barbara is willing," he answered simply.
"Ask her."

* * * * *

[Sidenote: The Plunge]

Meanwhile, Eloise was talking to Barbara. First, she told her of the
letters she had written in her behalf and to which the answers might
come any day now. Then she asked if she might order preserves from Aunt
Miriam, and discussed patterns and material for the lingerie she had
previously spoken