here's not a doll's in all the room to equal it," said Caleb. "And her
eyes--"

He stopped; for Bertha had drawn closer round his neck; and, from the
arm that clung about him, came a warning pressure which he understood
too well.

He coughed a moment, hammered for a moment, and then fell back upon the
song about the sparkling bowl; the song which helped him through all
such difficulties.

"Our friend, father; the one who has helped us so many times, Mr.
Tackleton. I am never tired you know, of hearing about him. Now was I,
ever?" she said, hastily.

"Of course not," answered Caleb. "And with reason."

"Ah! with how much reason?" cried the blind girl, with such fervency
that Caleb, though his motives were pure, could not endure to meet her
face, but dropped his eyes, as if she could have read in them his
innocent deceit.

"Then tell me again about him, dear father," said Bertha. "Many times
again! His face is good, kind, and tender. Honest and true, I am sure it
is. The manly heart that tries to cloak all favors with a show of
roughness and unwillingness beats in its every look and glance."

"And makes it noble," added Caleb in his quiet desperation.

"And makes it noble!" cried the blind girl. "He is older than May,
father?"

"Ye-es," said Caleb, reluctantly. "He's a little older than May, but
that don't signify."

"Bertha," said Caleb softly, "what has happened? How changed you are, my
darling, in a few hours--since this morning. _You_ silent and dull all
day! What is it? Tell me!"

"Oh father, father!" cried the blind girl, bursting into tears. "Oh, my
hard, hard fate!"

Caleb drew his hand across his eyes before he answered her.

"But think how cheerful and how happy you have been, Bertha! How good,
and how much loved, by many people."

"That strikes me to the heart, dear father! Always so mindful of me!
Always so kind to me!"

Caleb was very much perplexed to understand her.

"To be--to be blind, Bertha, my poor dear," he faltered, "is a great
affliction; but----"

"I have never felt it!" cried the blind girl. "I have never felt it in
its fullness. Never! I have sometimes wished that I could see you, or
could see him; only once, dear father; only for one little minute. But,
father! Oh, my good, gentle father, bear with me, if I am wicked!" said
the blind girl. "This is not the sorrow that so weighs me down!"

"Bertha, my dear!" said Caleb, "I have something on my mind I want to
tell you, whi