she dreaded lest his ears should catch a word of our
conversation.

Not knowing what was in her mind, and unable to realize the importance
of the moment to her, I yet listened to the advance of her blind
husband with an almost painful interest. Would he enter the room where
we were, or would he pass immediately to his office in the rear? She
seemed to wonder too, and almost held her breath as he neared the door,
paused, and stood in the open doorway, with his ear turned towards us.

As for myself, I remained perfectly still, gazing at his face in mingled
surprise and apprehension. For besides its beauty, which was of a marked
order, as I have already observed, it had a touching expression which
irresistibly aroused both pity and interest in the spectator. This may
have been the result of his affliction, or it may have sprung from some
deeper cause; but, whatever its source, this look in his face produced a
strong impression upon me and interested me at once in his personality.
Would he enter? Or would he pass on? Her look of silent appeal showed me
in which direction her wishes lay, but while I answered her glance by
complete silence, I was conscious in some indistinct way that the
business I had undertaken would be better furthered by his entrance.

The blind have been often said to possess a sixth sense in place of the
one they have lost. Though I am sure we made no noise, I soon perceived
that he was aware of our presence. Stepping hastily forward he said, in
the high and vibrating tone of restrained passion:

"Helen, are you here?"

For a moment I thought she did not mean to answer, but knowing
doubtless from experience the impossibility of deceiving him, she
answered with a cheerful assent, dropping her hand as she did so from
before my lips.

He heard the slight rustle which accompanied the movement, and a look I
found it hard to comprehend flashed over his features, altering his
expression so completely that he seemed another man.

"You have some one with you," he declared, advancing another step but
with none of the uncertainty which usually accompanies the movements of
the blind. "Some dear friend," he went on, with an almost sarcastic
emphasis and a forced smile that had little of gaiety in it.

The agitated and distressed blush which answered him could have but one
interpretation. He suspected that her hand had been clasped in mine, and
she perceived his thought and knew that I perceived it also.

D