“Just one moment, please, Miss Minturn,”
said the gentleman, detaining her. “There
is one thing more I would like to speak of. Will
you kindly look me directly in the eyes?” Somewhat
surprised, Katherine turned her glance upon his and
looked searchingly into those fine eyes so deeply
blue, but flushing as she did so.
“Can you detect any difference in them?”
he questioned.
“No, I cannot,” she said, and knowing
now why he had asked it, for she remembered what Miss
Reynolds had told her.
“Well, there is,” he affirmed, “for
I am blind in my left eye, although scarcely anyone
would observe it; at least I can only discern light
from darkness. It was caused by an accident when
I was a child. Do you believe, Miss Minturn,
that normal sight could be restored to that eye?”
“I know that it could,” Katherine began.
“Yes, of course, you know that God has power
to restore it,” her companion interposed; “but
do you believe any practitioner would take my case
and encourage me to hope for such a result?”
“Assuredly,” said the girl, with unwavering
confidence.
“Truly, your faith is unbounded,” Phillip
Stanley observed, with a smile in which there was
a glimmer of skepticism. “I wish it could
find an echo in my own heart, for I would give a great
deal for so priceless a boon. But where do your
practitioners go to learn their method?”
“To our text-book, ‘Science and Health.’
It—”
“That little leather-covered book I used to
see you reading on shipboard?”
“Yes; it contains the whole of Christian Science,
and, Dr. Stanley”—with a significant
nod—“he who will may read.”
“I understand”—with a responsive
laugh—“one has to put forth individual
effort in order to acquire valuable knowledge.
Pray pardon me for detaining you so long, and possibly
I may ask to talk with you further after I have consulted
my sister and her husband. Really, Miss Minturn”—he
interposed in a deprecatory tone and flushing with
a sense of the incongruity of his position--"I am
afraid I am rather faithless, but something impels
me to suggest that a trial be given the Science treatment
before the adoption of severe measures. Good-afternoon,
and thank you for your courtesy and patience.”
He shook hands cordially with her, then bowed himself
away.
Prof. Seabrook’s ultimatum—and
broken rules.
Dr. Stanley, after sitting a while with Dorothy, to
watch the effect of a remedy given to relieve her
suffering, went directly back to the city, wearing
a very thoughtful face.
Upon reaching his office, and finding no one awaiting
him, he picked up a book from his desk and went out
again, directing his steps towards the public library.
Arriving there, he searched the catalogue and, at
length, finding the title he desired, wrote the number
on his card and presented his book to be exchanged.
