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           Noonehadevenseenanythinglikethem.Aroundtheouterrimoftheiriswasaverydarkgreyring,buttheirisitselfwassopaleitcouldn’tbecalledeitherblueorgrey;theclosestdescriptionofthecolorwasasortofdarkwhite.Theywereriveting,uncomfortable,inhumaneyes,ratherblind-looking;butastimewentonitwasobviousJustinesawthroughthemverywell.

           Thoughhedidn’tmentionit,DocSmithhadbeenworriedbythesizeofherheadwhenshewasborn,andkeptaclosewatchonitforthefirstsixmonthsofherlife;hehadwondered,especiallyafterseeingthosestrangeeyes,ifshedidn’tperhapshavewhathestillcalledwateronthebrain,thoughthetextbooksthesedayswerecallingithydrocephalus.ButitappearedJustinewasn’tsufferingfromanykindofcerebraldysfunctionormalformation;shejusthadaverybighead,andasshegrewtherestofhermoreorlesscaughtuptoit.

           Lukestayedaway.Meggiehadwrittentohimrepeatedly,butheneitheranswerednorcametoseehischild.Inawayshewasglad;shewouldn’thaveknownwhattosaytohim,andshedidn’tthinkhewouldbeatallentrancedwiththeoddlittlecreaturewhowashisdaughter.HadJustinebeenastrappingbigsonhemighthaverelented,butMeggiewasfiercelygladshewasn’t.ShewaslivingproofthegreatLukeO’Neillwasn’tperfect,forifhewashewouldsurelyhavesirednothingbutsons.

           ThebabythrivedbetterthanMeggiedid,recoveredfasterfromthebirthordeal.