10. "So you were out in the rain last night, father, in your beautiful, new greatcoat," said Caleb's daughter.

66 In my beautiful new greatcoat," answered Caleb, glancing toward a clothesline in the room on which his sackcloth garment was carefully hung up to dry. 11. "How glad I am you bought it, father!" "And of such a tailor, too," said Caleb.

a fashionable tailor. It's too good for me."

"Quite

The blind girl rested from her work and laughed with delight. "Too good, father? What can be too good for you?"

Happy blind girl! How merry she was!

66

12. "I see you, father," she said, clasping her hands," as plainly as if I had the eyes I never want when you are with me. A blue coat-"

13. "Yes, yes! Bright blue!" exclaimed the girl, turning up her radiant face; "the color I can just remember in the blessed sky! You told me it was blue before! A bright blue coat—”

14. "Made loose to the figure," suggested Caleb. "Yes, loose to the figure!" cried the blind girl, laughing heartily; "and in it you, dear father, with your merry eye, your smiling face, your free step, and your dark hair, looking so young and handsome!"

66

15. "Holloa! holloa!" said Caleb. "I shall be vain presently."

"I think you are already," cried the blind girl, pointing at him, in her glee. "I know you, father! Ha, ha, ha! I've found you out, you see!"

16. How different the picture in her mind from Caleb, as he sat observing her! She had spoken of his free step. She was right in that. For years and years he never once had crossed that threshold at his own slow pace, but with a footfall counterfeited for her ear; and never had he, when his heart was heaviest, forgotten the light tread that was to render hers so cheerful and courageous.

II

17. "There we are," said Caleb, falling back a pace or two to form the better judgment of his work. "What a pity that the whole front of the house opens at once! If there were only a staircase in it now and regular doors to the rooms to go in at!"

18. Caleb began to hum a fragment of a song. "What! you are singing, are you?" said Tackleton, putting his head in at the door. "Go it! I can't sing."

No one would have suspected him of it. He hadn't what is generally termed a singing face, by any means.

"I'm

"I can't afford to sing," said Tackleton. glad you can. I hope you can afford to work, too. Hardly time for both, I should think!"

19. "If you could only see him, Bertha, how he's winking at me!" whispered Caleb. "Such a man to joke! You'd think, if you didn't know him, he was in earnest, wouldn't you, now?"

The blind girl smiled and nodded.

20. "The bird that can sing and won't sing must be made to sing, they say," grumbled Tackleton. "What about the owl that can't sing, and oughtn't to sing, and will sing? Is there anything that he should be made to do?"

21. "The extent to which he's winking at this moment!" whispered Caleb to his daughter. "Oh, my gracious!"

"Always merry and light-hearted with us!" cried the smiling Bertha.

22. “Oh, you are there, are you? and being there - how are you?" said Tackleton.

"Oh! well; quite well. And as happy as even you could wish me to be. As happy as you would make the whole world if you could!"

23. "Bertha!" said Tackleton, assuming a little cordiality. "Come here."

"Oh, I can come straight to you. guide me!" she rejoined.

24. "Shall I tell you a secret, Bertha?” "If you will!" she answered eagerly. How bright the darkened face!

with light, the listening head!

You needn't

How adorned