"What do you mean by that?"
"Only that I doubt if you will ever see me Adela Branston's husband."
"I can't understand you, John."
"My dear fellow, there is nothing strange in that. There are times when I cannot understand myself."
CHAPTER X
JACOB NOWELL
The days went by, and brought Gilbert Fenton no reply to his advertisement. He called at the post-office morning and evening, only to find the same result; and a dull blank feeling, a kind of deadness of heart and mind, began to steal over him with the progress of the days. He went through the routine of his business-life steadily enough, working as hard as he had ever worked; but it was only by a supreme effort that he could bring his mind to bear upon the details of business—all interest in his office-work was gone.