“Very well; then listen, and don't dodge, as everyone else does. Didn't the doctor think my eyes worse the last time he came? Mother won't say, but you shall.”
“I believe he did,” faltered Rose.
“I thought so! Did he say I should be able to go to school when it begins?”
“No, Mac,” very low.
“Ah!”
That was all, but Rose saw her cousin set his lips together and take a long breath, as if she had hit him hard. He bore the disappointment bravely, however, and asked quite steadily in a minute,
“How soon does he think I can study again?”
It was so hard to answer that! Yet Rose knew she must, for Aunt Jane had declared she could not do it, and Uncle Mac had begged her to break the truth to the poor lad.
“Not for a good many months.”
“How many?” he asked with a pathetic sort of gruffness.