text:  Whilst Michael Allcraft coolly and designedly looked around him in the hope of fixing on the prey he had resolved to find--whilst cautious as the midnight housebreaker who dreads lest every step may wake his sleeping victim he almost feared to do what most he had at heart and strove by ceaseless effort to bring into his face the show of indifference and repose;--whilst he was thus engaged there were many on the other hand eager and impatient to crave from him as for a boon all that he himself was but too willing to bestow