"Yes, yes, I am aware you did it for the best, and I suppose it turned
out to be so," quickly replied Val, some of his native kindliness
resuming its sway. "It's an unfortunate affair altogether, and that's
the best that can be said of it."

"What I came up here for was to tell you he was gone."

"Who is gone?"

"The shark."

"Gone!"

"He went off by the seven train. Lord Hartledon told him he'd communicate
with his principals and see that the affair was arranged. It satisfied
the man, and he went away by the next train--which happened to be the
seven-o'clock one."

"How do you know this?" asked Mr. Elster.

"This way," was the answer. "I was hovering about outside that shed of
mine, and I saw the encounter at the parson's gate--for that's where it
took place. The first thing the fellow did when it was all over was to
bolt across the road, and accuse me of purposely misleading him. 'Not a
bit of it,' said I; 'if I did mislead you, it was unintentional, for I
took the one who came over the bridge on Saturday to be Lord Hartledon,
safe as eggs. But they have been down here only a week,' I went on, 'and
I suppose I don't know 'em apart yet.' I can't say whether he believed
me; I think he did; he's a soft sort of chap. It was all right, he said: