And, a thing which his host had never known him do before, he had drunk in that half hour when they sat waiting, close on a bottle of port.
The evening paper lay ready cut for him in its accustomed place, but for some five minutes Mr.Taynton did not appear to notice it, though evening papers, on the money-market page, might contain news so frightfully momentous to him.

But something, this strangeness in Morris, no doubt, and his general anxiety and suspense as to how this dreadful knot could unravel itself, preoccupied him now, and even when he did take up the paper and turn to the reports of Stock Exchange dealings, he was conscious of no more than a sort of subaqueous thrill of satisfaction.
For Boston Copper had gone up nearly a point since the closing price of last night.
It was not many minutes, however before Morris returned with matted and streaming hair and drenched clothes.
"He has not come back," he said.

"I went to his rooms and satisfied myself of that, though I think they thought I was mad.

I searched them you understand; I insisted.

I shall go round there again first thing to-morrow morning, and if he is not there, I shall go up to find him in town.