This was really like the old happy days coming back.
"Come in," she said, "mamma is here." But mamma still slept undisturbed, for their tones had been low in the greatness of their joy; and Maurice drew Lucia back, and would not let her awake her.
"She looks very tired," he said rather hypocritically; "and it will be time enough to see me when she awakes.

Don't disturb her." Lucia looked at her mother anxiously.

She knew this sleep was good for the invalid, and yet it might last an hour, and how could she wait all that time for the thousand things she wanted to hear from Maurice?
The door of their tiny salle a manger stood a little open.
"Come in here, then," she said, "we shall be able to see when she wakes--and _I must_ talk to you." Maurice followed obediently--this was better than his hopes, to have Lucia all to himself for the first half hour.

She made him sit down in such a manner that he could not be seen by Mrs.Costello, while she herself could see through the open door and watch for her mother's waking.
"And now tell me," she asked, "have you been back to Canada ?" "I started the moment I could leave England after my grandfather's death, but when I reached Cacouna you were gone." "Dear old home! I suppose all looked just as usual ?" "Nothing looked as usual to me.

As I came up the river I saw that the cottage was deserted, and that changed all the rest.