he added, after giving her
a few simple directions, "I shall be back early this evening, and, till
then, you're in charge. All you have to do," he went on, as Allie
followed him to the door, "is to wait on him, and see that the light
doesn't get to him. You can talk to him, just as you always do, only be
a little quiet. Above all, don't let him get to thinking about his eye,
for he mustn't worry. Good-by."

He left her to go back into her cousin's room, while he went down the
street, saying to himself,--

"I wish I could often get as plucky a patient and nurse. But I'd give a
good deal if I had a first-class oculist in town to-night; I don't like
the looks, up there."

CHAPTER VIII.

IN THE DARK.

Often and often, during the next few weeks, Allie recalled the
conversation which had taken place between herself and Marjorie, months
before; for Charlie's time had come to prove his ability to bear trouble
and suffering as bravely as a boy could do. Early on the afternoon
following the accident, Dr. Brownlee had saddled his horse and ridden
away to meet Mrs. Burnam, and prepare her for the new care awaiting her;
but it was not until the next day that he told her of his real fear, the
danger that the injured eye might become so seriously inflamed that its
sight would be destroyed. How Howard and Allie found it out, it would be
impossible to say; but, before the day was over, they knew the secret,
and hovered about their cousin with an anxious care, the real cause of
which he understood as little as he did that of the doctor's extreme
gentleness of voice and touch, when he came, morning and night, to
examine the wound and renew the bandages.

It was a hard experience for the boy, for there were long days of
sickening, throbbing pain, that darted up and down about his eye, and
painted strange, lurid pictures against the darkness of his closed lids.
Then came the time when he was allowed to sit up once more, and to
wander clumsily about his narrow quarters, bruising himself by frequent
collisions with the unseen furniture, until Allie's heart ached for him,
and she longed to tear away the bandages, and let him have one short
hour of daylight again. His piano was his main solace in these days, for
Mrs. Burnam had had it moved into his room, and he amused himself with
it for long hours at a time, when his cousins were busy, or away from
home. Of course he grumbled a little at times, as any healthy boy would
do; of