Cecil Walpole occupied the state-room and the state-bed at Kilgobbin Castle; but the pain of a very serious wound had left him very little faculty to know what honour was rendered him, or of what watchful solicitude he was the object. The fever brought on by his wound had obliterated in his mind all memory of where he was; and it was only now--that is, on the same morning that the young men had arrived at the castle--that he was able to converse without much difficulty, and enjoy the companionship of Lockwood, who had come over to see him and scarcely quitted his bedside since the disaster. It seems going on all right,’ said Lockwood, as he lifted the iced cloths to look at the smashed limb, which lay swollen and livid on a pillow outside the clothes. ‘It’s not pretty to look at, Harry; but the doctor says “we shall save it”--his phrase for not cutting it off.’ ‘They’ve taken up two fellows on suspicion, and I believe they were of the party here that night.’ ‘I don’t much care about that. It was a fair fight, and I suspect I did not get the worst of it. What really does grieve me is to think how ingloriously one gets a wound that in real war would have been a title of honour.’ ‘If I had to give a V.C. for this affair, it would be to that fine girl I’d give it, and not to you, Cecil.’ ‘So should I. There is no question whatever as to our respective shares in the achievement.’ ‘And she is so modest and unaffected about it all, and when she was showing me the position and the alcove, she never ceased to lay stress on the safety she enjoyed during the conflict.’ ‘Then she said nothing about standing in front of me after I was wounded?’ ‘Not a word. She said a great deal about your coolness and indifference to danger, but nothing about her own.’ ‘Well, I suppose it’s almost a shame to own it--not that I could have done anything to prevent it--but she did step down one step of the stair and actually cover me from fire.’ ‘She’s the finest girl in Europe,’ said Lockwood warmly. ‘And if it was not the contrast with her cousin, I’d almost say one of the handsomest,’ said Cecil. ‘The Greek is splendid, I admit that, though she’ll not speak--she’ll scarcely notice me.’ ‘How is that?’ ‘I can’t imagine, except it might have been, an awkward speech I made when we were talking over the row. I said, “Where were you? what were you doing all this time? “’ ‘And what answer did she make you?’ ‘None; not a word. She drew herself proudly up, and opened her eyes so large and full upon me, that I felt I must have appeared some sort of monster to be so stared at.’ ‘I’ve seen her do that.’ ‘It was very grand and very beautiful; but I’ll be shot if I’d like to stand under it again. From that time to this she has never deigned me more than a mere salutation.’ ‘And are you good friends with the other girl?’