Dawn Eleanor Porter (free novels to read txt) 📖

really KNOW howthings are!" she finished, as she took up her work again.

Thirty-six hours later came the telegram from the doctor telling oftheir safe arrival, and a week later came a letter from Keith himselfto Susan. It was written in lead-pencil on paper that had beencarefully perforated so as to form lines not too near together.

At the top of the page in parentheses were these words:

DEAR SUSAN: If you think dad would like it you may read him a part orthe whole of this letter. I was afraid I wouldn't write very well andthat he wouldn't like to see it. So I write to you instead. I know youwon't mind.

Below came the letter.

DEAR SUSAN: How do you and dad do? I am well and hope you are thesame.

This is an awfully pretty place with trees and big lawns all aroundit, and walks and seats everywhere in the summer, they say. We aren'tsitting outdoors to-day, though. It's only four below!

We had a jolly trip out. The doctor's great. He spent half his timetalking to me about the things we were seeing out the window. We wentthrough a wonderful country, and saw lots of interesting things.

The doctor's daughter was along, too. But she didn't have much to sayon the trip. I've seen quite a lot of her since we've been here,though, and she's ALL RIGHT. At first I didn't like her very well. Itwas her voice, I guess. It reminded me of somebody I didn't like to bereminded of. But after I got used to it I found she was really verynice and jolly. She knows lots of games, and we play together a lotnow. She's so different from that girl she sounded like that I don'tmind her voice now. And I don't think she minds (here a ratherunsuccessful erasure showed that "playing with me" had beensubstituted for "being with blind folks").

She gave me this paper, and told me the folks at home would like aletter, she knew. That's why I'm writing it. And I guess that's enoughfor this time.

Love to all. KEITH BURTON

P.S. I'm going to have the operation to-morrow, but they won't knowfor quite a while whether it's successful or not, the doctor says. KEITH

Susan read this letter, then took it at once to the studio and read itagain aloud.

"Now ain't that great?" she crowed, as soon as she had finished.

"Y-yes, but he didn't say much about himself or his treatment,"demurred the man.

Susan made an impatient gesture.

"Why, yes, he did, too! Lan' sakes, Mr. Burton, he didn't talk aboutnothin' else but himself an' his treatment, all the way through. Oh, Iknow he didn't say anything about his occultist treatment, if that'swhat you mean. But I didn't do no worryin' about that part. It was theother part."

"The other part!"

"Yes. They're treatin' him as if he wa'n't different an' queer. An'didn't you notice the way he wrote? Happy as a king tellin' about whathe SAW on the way out, an' the wonderful country they went through.They're all right—them two are. I shan't do no more worryin' aboutKeith. An' her fixin' that paper so cute for him to write on—Ideclare I'm that zealous of her I don't know what to do. Why couldn'tI 'a' thought of that?" she sighed, as she rose to leave the room.

Two days later came a letter from the doctor. The operation had beenperformed and, so far as they could judge, all was well, though, asKeith had written, the real results would not show until the bandageswere removed some time later.

When the schools opened again in January, Dorothy Parkman came back toHinsdale. Susan had been counting the days ever since Christmas, forshe knew Dorothy was coming, and she could scarcely wait to see her.This time, however, she did not have to tramp through the streets andstores looking for her, for Miss Dorothy came at once to the house andrang the bell.

"I knew you'd want to hear all about Mr. Keith," she smiled brightlyinto Susan's eyes. "And I'm glad to report that he's doing all right."

"Be them bandages off yet? Do you mean—he can see?" demanded Susanexcitedly, leading the way to the sitting-room.

"Oh, no—no—not that!" cried the girl quickly. "I mean—he's doingall right so far. It's a week yet before the bandages can be removed,and even then, he probably won't see much—if at all. There'll have tobe another one—later—father says—maybe two more."

"Oh!" Susan fell back, plainly disappointed. Then, suddenly, a newinterest flamed into her eyes.

"An' he ain't sensed yet who you are?" she questioned.

Miss Dorothy blushed, and Susan noticed suddenly how very pretty shewas.

"No. Though I must confess that at first, when he heard my voice, helooked up much startled, and even rose from his seat. But I told himlots of folks thought I talked like Dorothy Parkman; and I justlaughed and turned it off, and made nothing of it. And so pretty quickhe made nothing of it, too. After that we got along beautifully."

"I should say you did!" retorted Susan, almost enviously. "An' youfixin' up that paper so fine for him to write on!"

Miss Dorothy blushed again—and again Susan noticed how very charmingwas the combination of brown eyes and yellow-gold hair.

"Yes, he did like that paper," smiled the young girl. "He nevermentioned the lines, and neither did I. When I first suggested theletter home he was all ready to refuse, I could see; but I wouldn'tgive him the chance. Before he could even speak I had thrust the paperinto his hands, and I could see the wonder, interest, and joy in hisface as his fingers discovered the pricked lines and followed theircourse from edge to edge. But he didn't let ME know he'd found them—not much! 'Well, I don't know but they would like a letter,' was allhe said, casually. I knew then that I had won."

"Well, I should say you had. But HOW did you know how?" cried Susan.

"Oh, you told me first that I must talk to him as if he were notblind. Then father told me the same thing. He said lots of hispatients