Joe considered Biddy's questions gravely as though each one was very important. "I'm not quite sure. That machine in the cave isn't just to make little girl's legs well. It does other things. It tunes in on thought waves just the way your television set tunes in on pictures." "You mean it tells you what people are thinking about?" "In a way, it does. And after a while I'll look at the things the machine has recorded and then I'll decide what I have to do or say." There was silence while Biddy's mind went off on another track. Pretty soon she said, "Joe, there's a boy named Davey--well, he isn't a boy, really, he's almost a man--and his leg is like mine was. He can't walk on it either." "Does he live in Sage Bend?" "No. He lives on the ranch where my Pop works. I think it would be awfully nice if you fixed his leg too." "Perhaps I can." Biddy clapped her hands and looked at Joe through bright eyes. "I think you're wonderful, Joe--just wonderful--and there's old Mr. Haney. He's blind, so maybe you could--" Joe laughed. "Now wait a minute, Biddy. I'm no miracle man. I can't reconstruct people's minds." "But Mr. Haney's mind is fine. It's just his eyes that are no good." "I'm afraid you're wrong about that." "Do you know Mr. Haney?" "Not exactly. I've wandered around a little and I met him while he was taking a walk." "Then you know how bad it is to be blind." "Yes, but you don't understand, Biddy. I wouldn't be helping Mr. Haney. I'd be hurting him." "Hurting him?" "Yes. Mr. Haney is far happier the way he is than if he had his sight back. With his eyes functioning he'd be just like anyone else." "That's what he wants." "No he doesn't. Being blind makes him different and he's grown to depend on that difference as a staff of comfort. He lives on the sympathy he gets from people who can see. Mr. Haney doesn't know it himself but he would be very miserable if we gave him back his sight. As I said, Biddy, I can't change people's minds. I'm no miracle man." "That's what Mom and Pop said happened to me. A miracle. Was that right, Joe?" "No Biddy. You see where I come from we're a little further ahead in some scientific developments than the people down here. The expansion and reconstruction of bone and tissue isn't very difficult when you know how and have the right sonic frequencies to work with." "I see," Biddy answered gravely although she didn't see at all. "But what about Davey Taber? He doesn't really want to be crippled does he?" "I doubt it. Maybe we'll have a chance to see...." * * * * * The town of Sage Bend was in an uproar. The crowd--if the few dozen persons who resided there could be called a crowd--were milling in front of Dan Parker's house. They had seen some excitement and wanted to see more.