"My bag will be ready in ten minutes."
"Yes, sir; you are going away, sir?"
"Immediately. A call to return to the city at once."
"I am very sorry, sir," he said respectfully, yet in a tone of such earnestness, as to cause West to glance toward him sharply. For an instant it was upon the lips of the younger man to ask a question, but Sexton turned away, and it remained unasked. Promptly at the time mentioned came the servant's soft rap on the door.
"I came for the bag, sir."
West handed it over with a glance at the rather expressionless face.
"You said you regretted to see me leave, Sexton," he remarked jovially. "I presume you meant nothing in particular by that remark?"
"Oh, no, sir," standing motionless, bag in hand. "Only you have been very kind, sir, and--and--of course, it is none of my business, but I hope there is no quarrel, sir?"
"Quarrel! With Miss Natalie, you mean? Why should you suspect that?"
"I--I spoke, sir, very thoughtlessly, sir," he stammered. "You will pardon me, sir."
"Yes, but you must have had a reason, Sexton?"
"Only that she has seemed very much out of humour, sir, since her trip to town," he explained rather lamely. "I have never known her to be so hard to please, sir. I'm sure something is wrong, but that is no reason why I should say what I did, sir."