After there had been two or three snow-storms there was evidently no use in looking for her any more; but even then, I think it was months before _he_ gave up hopes of her return.

Night after night he used to hoist a pinewood torch, thinking she might have fallen in with Indians and be still alive and trying to make her way back.

The fact of the matter was, Mrs.Rexford, Bates _loved_ her, and he simply _could not_ give her up for dead." The young man had as many emphasised words in his speech as a girl might have had, yet his talk did not give the impression of easily expressed feeling.
"Ah, it was very sad." "Yes, I didn't know I could have minded so much a thing that did not affect me personally.

Then when he had given up hope of finding her living, he was off, when the spring came, everywhere over the woods, supposing that if she had perished, her body could be found when the snow was gone.

I couldn't help helping him to search the place for miles round.