r. His eyes seemed to be looking at
something I couldn't see. His face was set, like a dead man's.

"'John--John,' I called out--jest like that--jest like a frightened
child, 'wake up--wake up.'

"That strange, awful look seemed to sorter fade out of his eyes.

"He turned his head and looked at me. I've never forgot his
face--never will forget it till I ships for my last voyage.

"'All is well, lad,' he says. 'I've seen the Royal William coming
around East Point. She will be here by dawn. Tomorrow night I shall
sit with my bride by my own hearth-fire.'

"Do you think he did see it?" demanded Captain Jim abruptly.

"God knows," said Gilbert softly. "Great love and great pain might
compass we know not what marvels."

"I am sure he did see it," said Anne earnestly.

"Fol-de-rol," said Doctor Dave, but he spoke with less conviction than
usual.

"Because, you know," said Captain Jim solemnly, "the Royal William came
into Four Winds Harbor at daylight the next morning.

"Every soul in the Glen and along the shore was at the old wharf to
meet her. The schoolmaster had been watching there all night. How we
cheered as she sailed up the channel."

Captain Jim's eyes were shining. They were looking at the Four Winds
Harbor of sixty years agone, with a battered old ship sailing through
the sunrise splendor.

"And Persis Leigh was on board?" asked Anne.

"Yes--her and the captain's wife. They'd had an awful passage--storm
after storm--and their provisions give out, too. But there they were
at last. When Persis Leigh stepped onto the old wharf John Selwyn took
her in his arms--and folks stopped cheering and begun to cry. I cried
myself, though 'twas years, mind you, afore I'd admit it. Ain't it
funny how ashamed boys are of tears?"

"Was Persis Leigh beautiful?" asked Anne.

"Well, I don't know that you'd call her beautiful
exactly--I--don't--know," said Captain Jim slowly. "Somehow, you never
got so far along as to wonder if she was handsome or not. It jest
didn't matter. There was something so sweet and winsome about her that
you had to love her, that was all. But she was pleasant to look
at--big, clear, hazel eyes and heaps of glossy brown hair, and an
English skin. John and her were married at our house that night at
early candle-lighting; everybody from far and near was there to see it
and we all brought them down here afterwards. Mistress Selwyn lighted
the fire, and we went away and left