There was no time for more ; a brown hand , grasping the bracelet , rose out of the sea , followed by a purple face as Josie came up so blind and dizzy she could only cling to Bess , half drowned but triumphant . Miss Cameron drew her to the rock where she sat , and pushing the hair out of her eyes , revived her with a hearty ` Bravo ! bravo ! ' which assured the girl that her first act was a hit . Josie had often imagined her meeting with the great actress -- the dignity and grace with which she would enter and tell her ambitious hopes , the effective dress she would wear , the witty things she would say , the deep impression her budding genius would make . But never in her wildest moments had she imagined an interview like this ; scarlet , sandy , streaming , and speechless she leaned against the illustrious shoulder , looking like a beautiful seal as she blinked and wheezed till she could smile joyfully and exclaim proudly : ' I did get it ! I 'm so glad ! ' ` Now get your breath , my dear ; then I shall be glad also . It was very nice of you to take all that trouble for me . How shall I thank you ? ' asked the lady , looking at her with the beautiful eyes that could say so many things without words . Josie clasped her hands with a wet spat which rather destroyed the effect of the gesture , and answered in a beseeching tone that would have softened a far harder heart than Miss Cameron 's : ` Let me come and see you once -- only once ! I want you to tell me if I can act ; you will know . I 'll abide by what you say ; and if you think I can -- by and by , when I 've studied very hard -- I shall be the happiest girl in the world . May I ? ' ` Yes ; come tomorrow at eleven . We 'll have a good talk ; you shall show me what you can do , and I 'll give you my opinion . But you wo n't like it . ' ' I will , no matter if you tell me I 'm a fool . I want it settled ; so does mamma .
I 'll XXXXX it bravely if you say no ; and if you say yes , I 'll never give up till I 've done my best -- as you did . '
answered blinked came clasped grasping imagined revived say smile take