He, like his soul, was alone, and alone he had to think these things out.
Yes, this liar and slanderer, whoever he was, had tried to kill him.

The attempt had been well-planned too, for the chances had been a thousand to one in favour of the murderer.

But the one chance had turned up, Madge had loved him, and she had been brave, setting at defiance the order of her father, and had seen him secretly, and told him all the circumstances of this attack on him.

But supposing she had been just a shade less brave, supposing her filial obedience had weighed an ounce heavier?
Then he would never have known anything about it.

The result would simply have been, as it was meant to be, that the Templetons were out when he called.
There would have been a change of subject in their rooms when his name was mentioned, other people would have vaguely gathered that Mr.Morris Assheton's name was not productive of animated conversation; their gatherings would have spread further, while he himself, ignorant of all cause, would have encountered cold shoulders.
Morris's hands clutched at the short down grass, tearing it up and scattering it.