be allers, fer her voice wuz allers glad an'
sweet, sweeter'n a fiddle when Bill Kellar plays it."

"An' yer mind she sed her eyes wuz black, Benner, an' yer asked if they
wuz purty, an' I sed 'mighty'; an' yer sed the 'dark is black, an' it
wuzn't so bad ter live in the dark after all'?"

"Yes, I mind it, Hunch; but her eyes don't shine inter this dark;" and
the blind man struck his chest, while a scowl passed over his face.

Hunch did not reply, and there was a moment of silence, broken by
Benner, who said fiercely:

"Ef I hed the use uv my eyes, Gill wouldn't git her; I'd cut him out."

"Ef it would help yer, Benner, I'd cut his eyes out, an' take the
chances uv gittin' away," Hunch said in a low, determined tone.

Blind Benner smiled and replied:

"No, thet wouldn't do no good. It would on'y put the light out uv
Lizzi's heart an' make her blinder'n me. No, there ain't no hope fer me.
Gill's goin' ter git her because I can't ask fer her. But he'll never
love her no more'n I do."

"Benner," said Hunch, cheerfully, "mebbe yer kin hev yer eyes fixed.
I've got some money, saved it, an' I'll give it ter yer, ev'ry cent: an'
when yer well, yer kin pay me back."

"Yer mighty kind, Hunch," Blind Benner said, putting his arm around the
dwarf's neck, "but there ain't no cure fer me. I've jist got to go 'long
gropin' an' wishin' I'd hed eyes like Gill's."

"There ain't no tellin'. Do yer know, Benner, I wuz layin' in bed
th'other night, an' I thought the wall wuz lookin' at me, with a great
big eye. I ain't easy skeered, yer know, an' I set up ter git a better
look, an' what do you think it wuz? The lookin'-glass hangin' there; an'
thinks I, mebbe ef Benner hed lookin'-glasses in his eyes, he could see
too. Let's try to get them put in, Benner. Twon't cost much." The dwarf
spoke very earnestly, and a moisture filled his friend's eyes.

"'Tain't no use, Hunch; there wuz a doctor in the city where Bill Kellar
come from, thet sed I wuz stone-blind; an' couldn't never see. My daddy
took me ter him long 'fore I knowed yer. Anyhow, Hunch, how yer goin'
ter git lookin'-glasses inter a feller's head."

"Well, I think yer kin, an' I'm goin' ter ask Bill Kellar. What he don't
know's hard ter find out."

"Come, Hunch, let's go ter the Block, mebbe Lizzi'll be there. 'Tain't
nice up here without her, an' I ain't comin' no more, 'less she's
along."

"Ain't yer tired, Benner?"

"Yes, I am, Hunch. Tireder then I've ever ben