Surprised, offended, she checked her impulse to call him back. A
moment, then she stepped out into the full sunlight and stared
after him, for she saw that which explained his desertion.
Approaching between the drunken rows of grass huts was a little
knot of people. Even as Norine watched it grew into a considerable
crowd, for men and women and children came hurrying from their
tasks. There were three figures in the lead, a man and two boys,
and they walked slowly, ploddingly, as if weary from a long march.
Norine decided that they were not villagers, but ragged pacificos,
upon the verge of exhaustion. She saw Branch break into a swifter
run and heard him shout something, then through eyes suddenly
dimmed she watched him fall upon the tallest of the three
strangers and embrace him. The crowd grew thicker. It surrounded
them.
"Esteban!" Norine cried in a voice she scarcely recognized. She
retreated into the doorway with one hand upon her leaping heart.
"Esteban! Look! Some one has just arrived. Leslie has gone--" She
cleared her vision with a shake of her head and her tongue grew
thick with excitement. "They're coming--HERE! Yes! It's--it's
O'REILLY!"
Young Varona struggled from his hammock. "ROSA!" he called,
loudly, "ROSA!"
Norine ran and caught him or he would have fallen prone. He pawed
and fumbled in a weak attempt to free himself from her restraining
arms; a wildness was upon him; he shook as if with palsy.
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