She herself was neat enough." Mr.Gryce's brows came together.

He was in a quandary.

He felt convinced, with a positiveness which surprised him, that in watching the withdrawal of this small boat farther and farther toward the opposite shore, he was watching the escape of Antoinette Duclos from his immediate interference.
Yet, circumstantial as were the proofs which had led him to this conclusion, he felt that he would gladly welcome some further corroboration of those proofs before risking the time and opportunity he might lose in following the person of two skirts to her destination on the other side of the Hudson.

There were more reasons than one why he could not afford to lose one unnecessary minute.

An extra twinge or two of rheumatism warned him that he was approaching the point of disablement.
Moreover, of Mr.Gryce's secret fears there was one which loomed larger than the others and held an impulsive, unconsidered movement in check.
He must have proof of her identity--which nevertheless he did not question--before hazarding himself and the success of his undertaking by a delay of so many additional hours.