“She’s comin’!” he cried. “Isly’s comin’!”
Was this Isla who came in? The trustee stared in amazement. Deadly white, with brows drawn as if in pain, with lips set close, hands pressed together, eyes full of fear,—was this Isla? The principal shook her head, and signed her amazement. “I could hardly make her come,” she whispered. “She fell into a sort of shuddering fit,—I fear there is something wrong about it all. Hush!”
Both were silent, feeling the matter taken out of their hands. Joseph Brazybone was at Isla’s feet, half kneeling, half crouching; he was patting her dress, her hands, touching the ends of her long hair with timid fingers. The trustee felt that he was needing a tail to wag, and was sorry for him. Little Jacob threw himself on the islander, with every sign of pleasure, but Joe hardly heeded him, only looked up in Isla’s face with dog-like, beseeching eyes. The girl’s eyes were like hard, bright stones, save for that watchful look of fear, of expectation; but, presently, they softened. The old kindness, the thought of her father and her home, flowed over her like a wave, shook her like a wind. She smiled, and tried hard to make it her own smile; she patted Joe’s shoulder with a friendly touch, and pointed to a chair. But Joe still crouched on the floor gazing at her.
“Ye’re lookin’ well, Isly!” he said at length; and the two onlookers started at the sound of his voice, so tense had the silence grown.
“Ye’re looking real well, and growed a perfec’ lady, as I always knowed.” He paused a moment; then went on.
“Joe thought he’d come to see ye, y’ understand, young lady! Old Joe thought he’d come. The winter’s been long enough on the island, and come spring Joe says to himself, ‘She’ll be thinking about home,’ he says, ‘and mebbe she’ll be glad to see a face as comes from home, even if ’tis a ugly one. Joe ain’t never set up to be a beauty, ye know, Isly.”
He tried a laugh, and it broke off in his throat.
“Ain’t ye glad to see the old man, Isly?” he said, after a pause. “Ain’t ye goin’ to pass the time o’ day to old Joe, Joe Brazybone, as he and Giles was boys together?”