How foolish I felt ! And yet my curiosity was so strong that a few minutes afterward I peeped back again , just to see what he was doing . Then he coolly laid down his glass , rose , lifted his cap and bowed politely to me -- or , at least , in my direction . I dropped my glass and smiled in a mixture of dismay and amusement . Then I remembered that he was probably watching me again , and might imagine my smile was meant for him . I banished it immediately , shut my glass up and did not touch it again . Soon after we came home . July Twelfth . Something has happened at last . Today I went to the shore as usual , fully resolved not even to glance in the forbidden direction . But in the end I had to take a peep , and saw him on the rocks with his glass levelled at me . When he saw that I was looking he laid down the glass , held up his hands , and began to spell out something in the deaf-mute alphabet . Now , I know that same alphabet . Connie taught it to me last year , so that we might hold communication across the schoolroom . I gave one frantic glance at Aunt Martha 's rigid back , and then watched him while he deftly spelled : `` I am Francis Shelmardine . Are you not Miss Forrester , my sister 's friend ? '' Francis Shelmardine ! Now I knew whom he resembled . And have I not heard endless dissertations from Connie on this wonderful brother of hers , Francis the clever , the handsome , the charming , until he has become the only hero of dreams I have ever had ? It was too wonderful .
I could only stare dazedly back through my XXXXX .
Connie Something alphabet direction glance glass peep rocks sister smile