Dawn Eleanor Porter (free novels to read txt) 📖

exactlywhat we want, and I'm not in a bit of a hurry," she finished, droppingback in her chair as the door closed behind him.

Alone, she looked about the room, her eyes wistful, brimming withunshed tears. Over by the window was Keith's chair, before it thetable, with a half-completed picture puzzle spread upon it. Near thetable was a set of shelves containing other picture puzzles, games,and books—all, as the girl well knew, especially designed andconstructed for eyes that could not see.

She had risen to her feet and half started to cross the room towardthe table when the door to the side hall opened and Keith Burtonentered the room.

With a half-stifled gasp the girl stepped back to her chair. The blindboy stopped instantly, his face turned toward her.

"Is that—you, Susan?"

The girl wet her lips, but no words came.

"Who's there, please?" He spoke sharply this time. As everybody knew—who knew Keith—the one thing that angered him more than anything elsewas the attempted deception as to one's presence in the room.

Miss Dorothy gave a confused little laugh, and put her hand to herthroat.

"Why, Keith, it's only I! Don't look so—"

"You?" For one brief moment his face lighted up as with a hiddenflame; then instantly it changed. It became like the gray of ashesafter the flame is spent. "Why didn't you speak, then?" he questioned."It did no good to keep quiet. You mustn't forget that I have ears—ifI haven't eyes."

"Nonsense, Keith!" She laughed again confusedly, though her own facehad paled a little. "I did speak as soon as I caught my breath;—popping in on a body like that!"

"But I didn't know—you were here," stammered the young fellowuncertainly. "Nobody called me. I beg your pardon if—" He came to ahelpless pause.

"Not a bit of it! You needn't. It wasn't necessary at all." The girltossed off the words with a lightness so forced that it was almostflippancy. "You see, I didn't come to see you at all. It was yourfather."

"My father!"

"Certainly."

"But—but does he know?"

The girl laughed merrily—too merrily for sincerity.

"Know? Indeed he does. We've just been having a lovely talk. He's goneupstairs for some letters. He's coming right back—right back."

"Oh-h!" Was it an indefinable something in her voice, or was it therepetition of the last two words? Whatever it was that caused it,Keith turned away with a jerk, walked with the swift sureness of longfamiliarity straight to the set of shelves and took down a book. "ThenI'll not disturb you any further—as long as you're not needing me,"he said tersely. "I only came for this." And with barely a touch ofhis cane to the floor and door-casing, he strode from the room.

The pity of it—that he could not have seen Dorothy Parkman's eyeslooking after him!

CHAPTER XXXI

WHAT SUSAN DID NOT SEE

There was apparently no limit to Daniel Burton's enthusiasticcooperation with Dorothy Parkman on the matter of establishing aworkroom for the blind. He set to work with her at once. The very nextmorning after her initial visit, he went with her to Mazie Sanborn'sfather, and together they formulated the first necessary plans.

Thomas Sanborn was generous, and cordially enthusiastic, though hiswords and manner carried the crisp terseness of the busy man whosetime is money. At the end of five minutes he summoned one David Patchto the office, and introduced him to Miss Dorothy and Daniel Burton asone of his most expert engineers.

"And now I'll turn the whole thing over to you," he declared briskly,with his finger already on the button that would summon hisstenographer for dictation. "Just step into that room there and stayas long as you like. Whatever Patch says I'll back up. You'll find himthoroughly capable and trustworthy. And now good luck to you," hefinished, throwing wide the door of the adjoining room.

The next moment Miss Dorothy and Daniel Burton found themselves alonewith the keen-eyed, alert little man who had been introduced as DavidPatch. And David Patch did, indeed, appear to be very capable. Heevidently understood his business, and he gave interested attention toMiss Dorothy's story of what she had seen, and of what she wished nowto try to do. He took them then for a tour of the great shop,especially to the department where the busy fingers were winding withtape the thousands of wire coils.

Miss Dorothy's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she fairly clappedher hands in her delight, while Daniel Burton said that even he couldsee the possibilities of that kind of work for their purpose.

At the end of a long hour of talking and planning, Miss Dorothy andDaniel Burton started for home. But even then Daniel Burton had yetmore to say, for at his gate, which was on Miss Dorothy's way home, hebegged her to come in for a moment.

"I had another letter to-day about a blind soldier—this time fromBaltimore. I want to show it to you. You see, so many write to me, onaccount of my own boy. You will come in, just a minute?"

"Why, yes, of course I—will." The pause, and the half-stifled wordthat finished the sentence came as the tall figure of Keith Burtonturned the corner of the piazza and walked toward the steps.

"Hullo! Dad?" Keith's voice was questioning.

"Yes; and—"

"And Dorothy Parkman," broke in the girl with a haste so precipitateas to make her almost choke.

"Miss Parkman?" Once again, for a moment, Keith's face lighted as with

a flame. "Come up. Come around on the south side," he cried eagerly.

"I've been sunning myself there. You'd think it was May instead of

March."

"No, she can't go and sun herself with you," interposed Daniel Burtonwith mock severity. "She's coming with me into the house. I want toshow her something."

"Well, I—I like that," retorted the youth. He spoke jauntily, andgave a short little laugh. But the light had died from his face and aslow red had crept to his forehead.

"Well, she can't. She's coming with me," reiterated the man. "Now runback to your sun bath. If you're good maybe we'll be out pretty soon,"he laughed back at his son, as he opened the house door for his guest."That's right—you