to relieve the
sick or starving, or to administer such comfort as she was able. She
enjoyed the beautiful scenery by which she was surrounded. Now,
however, she found that when she took a book the letters were dim and
indistinct, while all distant scenes were shut out from her view, as if
a thick mist hung over them. Blindness she felt was coming on. A
journey to Dublin was in those days a long and tedious, if not somewhat
dangerous undertaking. Still, at her uncle's desire, accompanied by
him, she performed it. But no hope was given by the oculist whom she
consulted, and she returned home with the knowledge that in a short time
she would require some one to lead her by the hand whenever she might
wish to move from the immediate neighbourhood of the house.

Dermot had made frequent visits to the vicarage before Miss O'Reilly was
aware who he was. One day he met her while she was trying to find her
way a short distance from the house. He had seen her and knew who she
was. Seeing her in doubt as to the path she was to take, he, with the
native gallantry of the Irish, sprang forward and begged that he might
be allowed to lead her.

"And who are you, boy?" she asked. "What brings you to the vicarage?"

Dermot told her his short history.

"You are then a pupil of my uncle's?"

"Yes, his reverence has been teaching me, and I love to learn from him,"
answered Dermot.

This led to further conversation, and Dermot told her of his mother, who
lived down in the little cottage in Blackwater cove.

"And have you any brothers, sisters, or relations?" she asked.

"Except Uncle Shane, none that I know of," said Dermot.

"Your mother, then, lives all alone."

"Yes, since my father's death, twelve years ago, she has lived by
herself, with me alone to take care of, in her little hut."

"And you never wish to leave your home, and go and see the great world?"
asked Miss O'Reilly. Why she put the question it was difficult to say.
It might not have been a very judicious one, as far as the boy was
concerned, and yet it was but natural to suppose that a boy of Dermot's
character would wish to go forth into the great world, that he might
inspect its wonders.

"It may be, lady; I may have wished to go and see the world, though not
to leave my mother; for who would care for her if I was gone? Uncle
Shane would, but he is old and couldn't protect her for long. Besides
you know that not a year passes but that some of the m