"I don't give hope, sir," said Dr. Bario; "it's a chance, that's all--everything. It's one nice case for _me_--not you, young man." "What do you mean?" "There's danger in it--it's light, death, or madness! I do not you advise to risk this--but there's one chance if you do!" "_I will chance it!_" He was not content with the present, then; it had been a false placidity--he would risk his life for light; life without it, even with Mattie, did not seem for an instant worth considering! "Very good. To-morrow I will you send for--you will have to place yourself entire under my direction for more weeks than one, before the final operation be attempted." "I agree to everything--may I accompany you now?" "To-morrow," was the answer again. "Oh! it will never come. Maurice," he said, offering his hand, "however this ends, I am indebted to you." "Yes--but--but if it end badly?" "It will be God's will." "And if it end as I hope and trust--as I fancy it will, Sid--then you must pay that debt, or I'll never forgive you." "In what way can I ever repay it?" "By taking your old place at the banker's desk, and showing me that the past is really forgiven." "I will do that if--ah! what a mighty If this is!" "Keep hopeful--not nervous, above all the things," said the doctor; "if you fear, it must not be attempted." With this final warning, the doctor and Maurice withdrew. Maurice left the doctor to whisper confidentially to Mattie. "Miss Gray, I have brought a skilful oculist to look at my cousin Sid. He reports not altogether unfavourably--he gives us hope--Sid will go away with us to-morrow." "Go away!" "Yes, to submit himself for a week or two to Dr. Bario's treatment; he says that he will chance the danger, and I think he's right. Keep him strong and hopeful, Miss Gray--much depends upon that." "Yes--yes," gasped Mattie. She had not recovered her astonishment when the visitor had left the shop; "hope for Sidney"--"going away!"--"keep him strong!"--was all this a dream? "Mattie," called Sidney from the parlour, and our heroine rushed in at once and found our hero walking up and down the room with a freer step than she had witnessed in him since his blindness. "Mattie," he said in an agitated voice, "he tells me that there is a chance of the light coming back to me--a chance that entails danger, but which is surely worth the risk. Think of the daylight streaming in upon my darkened senses, and my waking up once more to life!" "I am so glad!--I am so very glad!" cried Mattie; adding the instant afterwards, "but the--the danger? What is that?" "A danger of death, or of my going mad, he left it doubtful which--I don't care which--I can risk all for the one chance ahead of me. I will keep strong, praying for the brightness of the new life."