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368 368 A SUCCESSFUL O PER, 17V OX.

rushed forward, and blew out the light. Mary screamed, the screen fell with a clatter, the blind old man awoke and shrieked nervously — it was a terrible moment.

After that Mary went through agonies of apprehension and remorse. Fortunately the end of the operation was very near now. In a day or two the great specialist came to remove the bandage, while the nurse carefully admitted a feeble illumination. If the patient could see now, the rest was a mere matter of time, of cautious gradation of light in the sick chamber, so that there might be no relapse. Mary dared not remain in the room at the instant of supreme crisis ; she lingered outside, overwrought. Slowly, with in- finite solicitude, the bandage was raised.

" Can you see anything? " burst from Robert's lips.

" Yes, but what makes the window look red ? " grumbled the old man.

" I congratulate you," said the great specialist in loud, hearty accents.

" Thank God ! " sobbed Mary's voice outside.

When her child was born it was blind.