"The boys will give him a cheer, I know they will," she said.
I said of course he would be back to-morrow, but again she said no; he had gone for good, and they had said good-bye to him. When he left King George's he was to go on to Castle Raa. Didn't I know that? He had said he would telegraph to me. But being from home perhaps I had not yet received his message. Oh yes, he was going on to the Castle to-morrow night and would stay there until it was time to leave the island.
"I'm so glad," I said, hardly knowing with what fervour I had said it, until I saw the same expression of fear come back to the sweet old face.
"Martin will be glad, too," she said, "and that's why I've come to see you."
"That?"
"You won't be cross with me, will you? But Martin is so fond of you. . . . He always has been fond of you, ever since he was a boy . . . but this time. . . ."
"Yes?"
"This time I thought . . . I really, really thought he was too fond of you."
I had to hold my breast to keep down the cry of joy that was rising to my throat, but the dear soul saw nothing.
"Not that he said so—not to say said so, but it's a mother to see things, isn't it? And he was talking and talking so much about Mary O'Neill that I was frightened—really frightened."