"I passed within a dozen feet of you. Neither of you saw me, I am sure. You would not have cut me intentionally, would you?"
"I should say not. You walked past here?"
"Yes, you were tying her shoe-string."
"What!" exclaimed he, starting to his feet, "tying Grace's shoe-string?" The first thought that rushed to his mind was that Veath had knelt to plead his love to Grace Vernon.
"Lady Huntingford, let us walk," he exclaimed. It was a fierce, impatient command instead of a polite invitation. The pretty young woman calmly lay back in her chair and laughed. "If you won't come, then please excuse me. I must go."
"Why are you so eager to walk, Mr. Ridgeway?" she asked.
"Because I want--what was that you called me?" he gasped, his heart almost turning upside down.
"Ridgeway. That's your name, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, a great many things," she said with a serious face.