Let us see if it does not give us some clue to the mystery puzzling us." He eyed me doubtfully, or as much so as his great nature would allow.
Meantime, I gauged my man.

Was he to be thoroughly and unequivocally trusted?
His very hesitation in face of his undoubted sympathy with me seemed to insure that he was.

At all events, the occasion warranted some risk on my part.

At least I persuaded myself that it did; so without waiting for his reply, I earnestly remarked: "The matter is more serious than you suppose.

If the mayor were not unavoidably called away by his political obligations, he would add his entreaties to mine for a complete sifting of this whole affair.
The Misses Quinlan may very well be innocent of inciting these manifestations; if so, we can do them no harm by a little confidential consideration of the affair from the standpoint I have given you.