With an oath he drew his sabre, and delivered his point full at my throat. The movement was so rapid that I was prepared neither to parry nor to avoid it, and it would have gone hard with me; but before the keen steel could quite reach me, my right arm was caught by two slender nervous hands, and I was dragged forcibly to one side. Von Wurst, overbalanced by the weight of his own thrust, stumbled forward; the sheath of his sabre tripped him up, he whirled round and fell heavily on his back, striking his head as he did so against the sharp corner of the porcelain stove. The blow stunned him, and he lay motionless. And there stood I, unhurt, saved by her whom I had saved, and who still clung to my arm, panting and tremulous. It was a moment worth more than a lifetime: it was but a moment. As I turned towards her, she let go my arm, smiled faintly, and sat down upon the nearest chair. 'I'm very much obliged to you, I'm sure,' said she. 'I think the obligation is on my side,' I answered, as awkwardly as possible. 'Oh no--I thank you--I thank you!' Her eyes fell upon the insensible lieutenant, and she shuddered. 'Do you think he's dead? He deserves to be hurt as badly as possible, but not quite killed--I shouldn't want that: I should have to think of him then, you know.' Several hours later, I bethought myself to smile at this conceit; but at the time I was quite too much embarrassed and excited to think of such a thing. Moreover, I was very badly frightened, and that for a cause sufficiently whimsical, namely, that I was hopelessly entangling myself with the woman to whom Floyd had a prior and superior claim. Unless I escaped at once, I knew I should never get away at all--until I had asked her to love me, and she had refused point-blank. And that would be too late for my self-respect. Oh, Floyd! why could you not love somebody else! 'I think I must go now if you will excuse me,' I stammered. 'I have an engagement.' 'But I can't be left alone with _that_!' she exclaimed piteously, at the same time indicating the unfortunate lieutenant with her foot. I forgave him from that moment. 'Won't you wait with me in the other room until my uncle comes back?' she continued: 'he should have been here before this.' Her uncle; not her father then! She had risen and taken my arm; I gave myself up for lost. As we drew aside the curtain to go into the outer room, the curtain of the door opposite was simultaneously pulled aside, and in came--first, the white-bearded old gentleman; second, Floyd; third, a military gentleman in the uniform of a colonel; and fourth and last, my old friend Mr. Frisby. 'Here she is!' cried the old gentleman. 'Gwendolen, my dear, allow me to make you acquainted with your brother, Mr. Floyd Wyndham. Who is this gentleman? can this be----'