Helstone glanced sharply round with an alert, suspicious expression, as if he apprehended that female craft was at work, and that something in petticoats was somehow trying underhand to acquire too much influence, and make itself of too much importance. 
Helstone glanced sharply round with an alert, suspicious expression, as if he felt that something in petticoats was somehow trying underhand to acquire too much influence, and make itself important.
