Leading the passive little Lettie by the hand, he took her to the door of the room, and entered alone. But he had no need to break the good news. One look at his face told all. "Vi!—She is found!" were the only words heard, broken by a stifled cry; and then Lettie was folded in such a passionate embrace, that it seemed as if she could never again be set free. Words failed here. Even sobs were silent in that first five minutes of unutterable joy, and only the pressure of the mother's arms spoke of what was passing in the mother's heart.
But she regained self-command. For the sake of her child, she sat up, and smiled, and looked into the little strange yet familiar face, and stroked back the uncombed hair, and kissed the thin though dimpled cheeks. "Vi, my little pet—my little darling—have they told you who I am? Do you know me, sweet one? Do you love me, precious Vi?"
"Call her Lettie—that is the name she knows," whispered Leveson.
"I wants mother," murmured Lettie, who was growing alarmed at such vehement caressing; and seeing this, Mrs. Therlock forced herself to be calm.
"You shall have her again another day," said Leveson, laying his hand on Lettie's head. "But this is mother, Lettie, and you are going to learn to love dear mother very much. Do you remember that story I told you?"
Lettie nodded.
"This is the poor mother who was so unhappy; but now she is happy, because she has her lost child back again."
"She ain't happy—she's a cryin'," said Lettie.
"Only because she is so very glad that she doesn't know what to do. Isn't Lettie glad to come to her own dear mother?"
"I wants—mother," said Lettie, with trembling lips.