noon before
Caspar Brooke was not as yet debarred the privilege of seeing his friends , and on the morning after his arrest he had a great many visitors , including , of course , Maurice Kenyon and his lawyer . Maurice was busying himself earnestly on his friend 's behalf ; and , considering the position that Brooke held , the esteem felt for him in high places , and the amount of interest that was being brought to bear on the authorities , there was little doubt but that he would be let out on bail in a day or two , even if the proceedings were not quashed altogether . Some delay , however , there was sure to be owing to the pertinacity of Mary Trent 's assertion that she saw him struggling with Oliver on the stairs , but in the meantime his detention was allowed to press as lightly upon him as possible . It was noon before Lesley saw him , and when she sprang to his side and threw her arms around his neck , with a new demonstrativeness of manner , she noticed that his brows lifted a little , and that he smiled with a look of positive pleasure and relief . `` So you have come ? '' he said , holding her to him as if he did not like to let her go . `` I began to wonder if you had deserted me ! ''