"Not a square foot of it---to Perkins."

So saying, Ralph picked up his cap, and carefully brushed off the clay
and leaves. As he did so, the shining feather caught his downcast
eyes once more, and this time he stooped, picked it up, and
deliberately stuck it under the band of the inside of his cap. Then
he secured the faithful Keno, and, without another word to Bill
Terrill, who had moved away whistling defiantly, he tramped homeward,
in a rather gloomy mood.




CHAPTER II

A TIMELY SUGGESTION


Doctor Kane, the kindly physician from Oakvale, was just coming down
the path from the Kenyon farmhouse as Ralph rode into the yard. He
paused beside his car, seeing the lad dismount hastily and come
forward with an anxious appeal in his brown eyes.

"How---how is she to-day?" Ralph asked, when he had grasped the
doctor's outstretched hand. "Her eyes---are they------"

"No better, and no worse," replied his friend; and again the doctor
explained the situation in simple terms that Ralph could understand.