William Potts
Role
Malone's successful rival for Gladys Hungerton's affections.
Dialogue
Confidential and somewhat foolish, laughing 'like an idiot.'
Appearance
A little ginger-haired man with a vacuous, good-natured, scrubby little face.
Background
A solicitor's clerk who married Gladys Hungerton while Malone was away.
Identified
true
Motivations
To live a quiet life with his wife in their new house.
Personality
Ordinary, good-natured, and unremarkable; he represents the mundane life that Gladys ultimately chose.
Competencies
Legal clerical work; second man at Johnson and Merivale's.
Plot Relevance
His marriage to Gladys provides the ironic and heartbreaking conclusion to Malone's romantic quest.
First Appearance
The sitting-room of the Streatham villa
Timeline
Marriage to Gladys
Potts marries Gladys Hungerton while Malone is on the expedition.
Meeting Malone
Potts meets Malone in his sitting-room and offers him refreshment, unaware of the depth of Malone's previous attachment.
