'Simply that I love her!' exclaimed Guebhard abruptly, with all the impulse of his really passionate nature; 'that I love her, and will brook no rival!' 'Then you need not fear me as one,' said Cecil, laughing aloud; 'and if it will ease your mind, be assured that I had already arranged to leave this place to-morrow; my arm is so nearly well now, that I shall be able to reach my saddle with ease. And to end this rather absurd conversation,' he added, as he rose to retire for the night, 'be assured, I repeat, that on my honour you need fear no rival in me!' 'He lies, in his heart--the English dog!' thought Guebhard, as he silently gave Cecil his hand; 'and there are no lunatics like women, when an interesting foreigner comes their way. But I'll mar his wooing, between this and headquarters--by all the devils I will!' 'And you leave this to-morrow for the front?' said he. 'To-morrow, by noon, at latest; and you, Herr Captain?' 'I--I go on to Belgrade; but you ride by Resna?' 'Yes.' The captain, whose voice and steps were alike unsteady, withdrew, and Cecil was not ill-pleased that they had parted without the quarrel which the other seemed anxious to provoke. Next morning he found that the captain had quitted Palenka at an early hour, and soon after he was further to learn that Guebhard had not taken the road to Belgrade. Ere noon next day, old Theodore was leading Cecil's horse, accoutred, to and fro before the door. 'We are so sorry that Palenka is about to lose you,' said Margarita, in her softest tone to Cecil, who had been saying some well-bred things, but in the genuine fulness of his heart, for the hospitality he had received. 'It is most kind of you to say so,' he replied, doubtful of how she might lead him on, for her eyes and manner were full of coquetry at the time. 'Don't you regret it?' she asked, with a would-be shy, upward glance. 'After all your kindness to me, a stranger, I should be most ungrateful not to do so!' 'But we may meet again,' said the countess, joining in the conversation. 'Perhaps,' said Cecil, with one of his sad smiles; 'but considering the chances of war, of life and events here, too probably never.' Margarita stood by fanning herself, as she usually did. She knew that a fan suited well the style of her beauty, and she seldom neglected to display her skill in the use of one, and she had fans of all colours to suit her dresses. So his sojourn at Palenka was ended now. Intelligent and well read, Cecil was also master of that kind of small talk which marks a man of the world; and he had pleasantly wiled away many an hour with Margarita, the memory of which would haunt her in the time to come. It was a companionship, brief but pleasant, which she would be sure to miss, and to recall with genuine regret.