Explore "The Gentleman who Vanished" by Fergus Hume on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Now although Dentham intended to betray the confidence both of Dr. Roversmire and Olive Maunders, yet it was an operation of some difficulty, as he foresaw on taking a quiet view of the situation. So far he had made twenty-five pounds out of the transaction, but he would not obtain any more money from Adrian Lancaster's betrothed until the house had been thoroughly searched, and the unhappy young man found. If they did discover Adrian shut up in a secret chamber, as Rudall surmised, he would certainly gain the balance of the reward from Olive Maunders, but on the other hand he would obtain nothing from his master, as he would be unable to warn him and make terms.
"If he's murdered Mr. Lancaster," mused Dentham to himself, as he took his way homeward, "they'll arrest him straight off, and then I won't be able to give him the straight tip, and get paid for it; but then he'll be away from the house if they find anything, so I'll be able to wire the old cove at Marlow, and make an appointment in town -- once I get a hold of him I'll bleed him freely, or else hand him over to the law. Yes, that's what I'll do; they can't put him in gaol straight off, so I'll fix up things with him before they get a chance."