He probably had no faith in the assertion.

"Sit down, Barbara," he said drawing her chair closer.
Barbara sat down again, but her manner was hurried and nervous.

"Is it quite sure that no stranger will be coming in?
It would look so peculiar to see me here; but mamma was too unwell to come herself--or rather, she feared papa's questioning, if he found out that she came." "Be at ease," replied Mr.Carlyle; "this room is sacred from the intrusion of strangers.

What of Richard ?" "He says that he was not in the cottage at the time the murder was committed; that the person who really did it was a man of the name of Thorn." "What Thorn ?" asked Mr.Carlyle, suppressing all signs of incredulity.
"I don't know; a friend of Afy's, he said.

Archibald, he swore to it in the most solemn manner; and I believe, as truly as that I am now repeating it to you, that he was speaking the truth.