Reluctantly the orphan came forward, and, without lifting her eyes, took one of the little outstretched hands firmly in both her own. While Mr. Murray silently appropriated the other, Huldah whispered: "Please both of you pray for me."
The doctor raised the eyelids several times, peered long and curiously at the eyeballs, and opened his case of instruments.
"This is one of those instances of congenital cataract which might have been relieved long ago. A slight operation will remove the difficulty. St. Elmo, you asked me about the probability of an instantaneous restoration, and I had begun to tell you about that case which Wardrop mentions of a woman, blind from her birth till she was forty-six years of age. She could not distinguish objects for several days--"
"Oh, sir! will I see? Will I see my father?" Her fingers closed spasmodically over those that clasped them, and the agonizing suspense written in her countenance was pitiable to contemplate.
"Yes, my dear, I hope so--I think so. You know, Murray, the eye has to be trained; but Haller mentions a case of a nobleman who saw distinctly at various distances, immediately after the cataract was removed from the axis of vision. Now, my little girl, hold just as still as possible. I, shall not hurt you."
Skilfully he cut through the membrane and drew it down, then held his hat between her eyes and the light streaming through the window.
Some seconds elapsed and suddenly a cry broke from the child's lips.
"Oh! something shines! there is a light, I believe!"
Mr. Murray threw his handkerchief over her head, caught her in his arms and placed her on the side of the cot.
"The first face her eyes ever look upon shall be that which she loves best--her father's."
As he withdrew the handkerchief Mr. Reed feebly raised his arms toward his child, and whispered: "My little Huldah--my daughter, can you see me?"
She stooped, put her face close to his, swept her small fingers repeatedly over the emaciated features, to convince herself of the identity of the new sensation of sight with the old and reliable sense of touch; then she threw her head back with a wild laugh, a scream of delight.
"Oh! I see! Thank God I see my father's face! My dear pa! my own dear pa!"
For some moments she hung over the sufferer, kissing him, murmuring brokenly her happy, tender words, and now and then resorting to the old sense of touch.
While Edna wiped away tears of joyful sympathy which she strove in vain to restrain, she glanced at Mr. Murray, and wondered how he could stand there watching the scene with such bright, dry eyes.