They embraced first and explained afterwards. Then Shirley got out and was in her mother's arms.
“Where's father?” was Shirley's first question.
“There—he's coming!”
The judge, unable to restrain his impatience longer, ran down from the porch towards the gate. Shirley, with a cry of mingled grief and joy, precipitated herself on his breast.
“Father! Father!” she cried between her sobs. “What have they done to you?”
“There—there, my child. Everything will be well—everything will be well.”
Her head lay on his shoulder and he stroked her hair with his hand, unable to speak from pent up emotion.
Mrs. Rossmore could not recover from her stupefaction on seeing her sister. Mrs. Blake explained that she had come chiefly for the benefit of the voyage and announced her intention of returning on the same steamer.
“So you see I shall bother you only a few days,” she said.