She stood looking out of the door fixedly, at nothing, for a time; but then, as hour by hour went on, and the afternoon stillness fell upon the forest, and the shadows began to slant, a terror began to grow upon her which at length became unbearable, and well-nigh drove her mad.
At the first she understood that all these years of anxiety had come to a point at last, and a strange feeling of excitement, almost joy, came over her.

She was one of those impetuous characters who stand suspense worse than anything, and now, although terror was in her, she felt as though relief was nigh.

Then she began to think again of her son, but only for an instant.

He was under Major Buckley's care, and must be safe; so she dismissed that fear from her mind for a time, but only for a time.

It came back to her again.