Disney started up confusedly, like a sleeper awakened, and looked at his watch.
“I believe I have a substitute ready to replace Allegra by this time,” he said, ringing the bell.
“Has the person from England arrived?” he asked the servant.
“Yes, sir. She came a quarter of an hour ago.”
“Ask her to come here at once.”
“Oh, Martin, you have not sent for a hospital nurse, I hope,” cried Isola, excitedly. “Indeed I am not so bad as that. I want very little help. I could not bear to have a stranger about me.”
“This is not a stranger, Isola.”
There came a modest knock at the door as he spoke.
“Come in,” he said; and a familiar figure in a grey merino gown and smart white cap with pink ribbons entered quietly and came to the sofa where Isola was lying.