I'll set a watch upon Mr.Medler's offices, and I'll circumvent him by means of his clerk, if I can; but it's my rooted conviction that Mrs.Holbrook never left Hampshire." This was discouraging; and with that ready power to adapt itself to circumstances which is a distinguishing characteristic of the human mind, Gilbert Fenton began to entertain a very poor opinion of the worthy Proul's judgment.

But not knowing any better person whose aid he could enlist in this business, he was fain to confide his chances of success to that gentleman, and to wait with all patience for the issue of events.
Much of this dreary interval of perpetual doubt and suspense was spent beside John Saltram's sick bed.

There were strangely mingled feelings in the watcher's breast; a pitying regret that struggled continually with his natural anger; a tender remembrance of past friendship, which he despised as a shameful weakness in his nature, but could not banish from his mind, as he sat in the stillness of the sick-room, watching the helpless creature who had once kept as faithful a vigil for him.
To John Saltram's recovery he looked also as to his best chance of restoring Marian to her natural home.

The influence that he himself was powerless to bring to bear upon Percival Nowell's daughter might be easily exerted by her husband.
"She was lured away from him, perhaps, by some specious lie of her father's, some cruel slander of the husband.

There had been bitter words between them.