Theopinionofthecynicalbystanderonthewharfprovedtobeacorrectone。Thecoroner’sjurybroughtintheusualverdictof“Founddrowned，“whichwasfollowedbytheusualnewspapercommentupontheinsecurityofthewharvesandtheinadequateprotectionofthepolice。
RandolphTrentreaditwithconflictingemotions。Thepossibilityhehadconceivedofthecorpsebeingthatofhisbenefactorwasdismissedwhenhehadseenitsface，althoughhewassometimestorturedwithdoubt，andawonderifhemightnothavelearnedmorebyattendingtheinquest。Andtherewasstillthesuggestionthatthemysteriousdisappearancemighthavebeenaccomplishedbyviolencelikethis。Hewassatisfiedthatifhehadattemptedpubliclytoidentifythecorpseashismissingfriendhewouldhavelaidhimselfopentosuspicionwithastoryhecouldhardlycorroborate。
HehadoncethoughtofconfidinghisdoubtstoMr。Revelstoke，thebankpresident，buthehadadreadofthatgentleman’scurtconclusionsandrememberedhisinjunctionto“hangontohistrust。“Sincehisinstallation，Mr。Revelstokehadmerelyacknowledgedhispresencebyagood-humorednodnowandthen，althoughRandolphhadaninstinctivefeelingthathewasperfectlyinformedastohisprogress。ItwaswiserforRandolphtoconfinehimselfstrictlytohisdutyandkeephisowncounsel。
Yethewasyoung，anditwasnotstrangethatinhisidlemomentshisthoughtssometimesrevertedtotheprettygirlhehadseenonthenightofhisarrival，northatheshouldwishtoparadehisbetterfortunebeforehercuriouseyes。Neitherwasitstrangethatinthiscity，whoseday-longsunshinebroughteveryoneintothepublicstreets，heshouldpresentlyhavethatopportunity。Itchancedthatoneafternoon，beingintheresidentialquarter，henoticedawell-dressedyounggirlwalkingbeforehimincompanywithadelicatelookingboyofsevenoreightyears。Somethinginthecarriageofhergracefulfigure，somethinginacertainconsciousnessandostentationofcoquetrytowardheryouthfulescort，attractedhisattention。Yetitstruckhimthatshewasneitherrelatedtothechildnoraccustomedtochildren’sways，andthatshesomewhatundulyemphasizedthistothepassers-by，particularlythoseofhisownsex，whoseemedtobegreatlyattractedbyherevidentbeauty。Presentlysheascendedthestepsofahandsomedwelling，evidentlytheirhome，andassheturnedhesawherface。Itwasthegirlheremembered。Ashereyecaughthis，heblushedwiththeconsciousnessoftheirformermeeting；
yet，intheveryembarrassmentofthemoment，heliftedhishatinrecognition。Butthesalutationwasmetonlybyacold，criticalstare。Randolphbithislipandpassedon。Hisreasontoldhimshewasright，hisinstincttoldhimshewasunfair；thecontradictionfascinatedhim。