He felt that there was a clue which he had not got.

But at last the key dropped into his hands, and he felt sure that the unsophisticated girl was in his power.
Among the girls that attended Humphreys's singing-school was Betsey Malcolm, the near neighbor of the Andersons.

The singing-master often saw her at Mr.Anderson's, and he often wished that Julia were as easy to win as he felt Betsey to be.

The sensuous mouth, the giddy eyes of Betsey, showed quickly her appreciation of every flattering attention he paid her, and though in Julia's presence he was careful how he treated her, yet when he, walking down the road one day, alone, met her, he courted her assiduously.

He had not to observe any caution in her case.
She greedily absorbed all the flattery he could give, only pettishly responding after a while: "O dear! that's the way you talk to me, and that's the way you talk to Jule sometimes, I s'pose.