'Of course I do,' said Bloodworth quickly.
'Ah!' said Shady, 'I guessed it might be so; then permit me to say that the gentleman whose name I could not catch is no longer there.'
'Not there!'
'No,' said Shady, again turning to his plants; 'having pledged myself to preserve him in privacy, and concluding that you would again demand the key, I informed him of my dilemma—which was that I must fail in respect either to him or to you; upon which he departed.'
'Which way?' muttered the steward, as soon as he could control his voice to utter the words.
'I didn't think he would wish to be followed,' said Shady coolly, 'and therefore did not observe him.'
'Let him go!' said the steward, with an oath, throwing the key to Shady; 'I'll remember you for this!'
'And I'll do my best to forget you for this,' said Shady, rubbing his leg, against which the key had struck with some force. 'In some way or other, I fear he is a bad man. How pleasant to turn to these innocent things!' tenderly looking at the flowers, 'after contention with the rude passions of men—yes, and even of women,' he mentally added, as Mrs. Gillies crossed his mind.