XV.
There was a crowd of people of all sorts outside the tenement house when Glory returned to Brown's Square, and even the stairs were thronged with them. “The nurse!” they whispered as Glory appeared, and they made a way for her. Aggie was on the landing, wiping her eyes and answering the questions of strangers, being half afraid of the notoriety her poor room was achieving and half proud of it.
“The laidy 'as came, Miss Gloria, and she sent me to tell you to wyte 'ere for 'er a minute.”
Then putting her head in at the open doer she beckoned and Mrs. Callender came out.
“Hush! He's coming to. The poor laddie! He's been calling for ye, and calling and calling. But he thinks ye're in heaven together, seemingly, so ye must no say anything to shock him. Come your ways in now, and tak' care, lassie.”
John was still wandering, and the light of another world was in his eyes, but he was smiling, and he appeared to see.
“Where is she?” he said in the toneless voice of one who talks in his sleep.
“She's here now. Look! She's close beside ye.”
Glory advanced a step and stood beside the bed, struggling with herself not to fall upon his breast. He looked at her with a smile, but without any surprise, and said:
“I knew that you would come to meet me, Glory! How happy you look! We shall both be happy now.”