"No, he did it quite by himself, Mr. Law. He’s been so brave," she managed to say, the tears in Law’s eyes making her afraid that she might lose control over her own shaking nerves. "Lord, Jim!" Law was gripping Norval’s hand. "I feel as if—well, as if I’d seen a miracle." The next day the specialist confirmed what Donelle had said about the eyes. "You’re going to see again, Norval," was the verdict. "You’ll have to go slow, wear dark glasses for awhile, but most of all, forget what brought this about. Your nerves have played the deuce with you." "Yes," Norval replied, "for some time I’ve had that line on my nerves, ever since Miss Walden bullied me into walking." The afternoon of that same day Norval surprised Donelle by announcing that he was dead tired of reading. "I want to talk," he said. "Where is Law?" "He went to—to see Professor Revelle. He said he wanted some music; that you," the pale face broke into a pathetic smile, "that you had got on his nerves. Unless he got out he’d be——" "What, Miss Walden? What, exactly?" "Well, he’d be damned! That is what he said, exactly." "He’s beginning to treat me like a human being, Miss Walden. I love Law when he’s at his worst. I suppose I’ve been a big trial, moping here. Have I injured your nerves?" "No—o! Not for life." "You’re a comical little codjer. Excuse me, Miss Walden. There are times still when you remind me of someone to whom I once dared to speak my mind." Then, quite suddenly: "Where are you going this summer?" "I have not decided yet, Mr. Norval. Why?" "Nothing, I was only thinking, but I’ll have to speak to Law first. One thing is sure, I’m not going to be an ass much longer. See here, Miss Walden, you’re a sturdy sort; you’ve stuck it out with me at my lowest. I’m going to repay you for the trouble I’ve made you by making more for you. I’m going to go away this summer, too. I’ve wanted to go lately. I’ve got to dreaming about it. I’m going to a little place hidden away in Canada. I have something to do there." "Yes?" The word was a mere breath. "For a time I couldn’t contemplate it; I was too proud to show my battered hulk. Now it seems that I have no longer any right to consider myself. I was going to ask Mr. Law to carry a message for me to a young girl there; the girl on that canvas by the window. Instead—I’m going to carry it!" Donelle’s hands gripped each other. She struggled to keep her voice steady, cold. "I think you ought to carry your message yourself, if you can. You have no right to consider only yourself," she faltered. "I wasn’t, entirely." This came humbly from Norval. "The girl to whom I am going is the sort who would be deeply sorry for me; she’d go to any lengths to make up to me, if she could. Of course, you understand, I would not let her, but I’d hate to make life harder for her." "Perhaps she has a right to—to judge for herself." Donelle was holding firm.