"All right," said Eustace quietly, judging it best to let his young friend go away for a time and get over his disappointment in solitude. "I will come with you to Como, and can see both you and the Erringtons off at the same time." "Then I'll go and tell Johnnie to get my traps together." "Certainly, but look here, old fellow, although you have not honoured me with your confidence I can guess your trouble, but don't worry about it." "Oh, it's all very well for you," said Otterburn, reddening, "you're not in love." "I'm not so sure of that," murmured Eustace in a dreary tone, whereupon Angus laughed scornfully. "It doesn't sound like it--by-the-way, you can say goodbye to Mrs. Trubbles for me." "And Miss Sheldon?" "Hang Miss Sheldon and you too!" retorted Otterburn, and thereupon bolted, so as to give Eustace no opportunity of making further remarks. "Love!" quoth Eustace the philosopher, "does not improve manners. Macjean is like a young bear with a sore head, and Miss Sheldon--well, she's got another scalp to hang in her wigwam." CHAPTER X. AUF WIEDERSEHN. "Goodbye! Goodbye!--our lives divide, We drift apart on Life's broad tide, Faint-hearted, sad and solemn-eyed, By Fate's decree. "Goodbye! Goodbye!--but not farewell, Tho' side by side we may not dwell. Some day we'll meet--But who can tell If this will be?" So the time of parting had come at last, as it must come to all, and these men and women who had met by chance at the Italian Lakes were about to separate. But who could tell what effect the intimacy of the last few weeks would have on their future lives? It seemed as though the love-romance of Victoria and Otterburn were over, killed by the woman, and even if they did meet again, it would be under such widely different circumstances that they would surely never be able to renew their earlier intimacy. True to his resolve Otterburn departed for Como without seeing Victoria again, and Eustace saw him safely off in the train with the faithful Johnnie in attendance. He then went to say goodbye to the Erringtons, who were going up by the St. Gothard line, intending to stay a few days in Paris prior to returning to England. "Goodbye, old fellow," said Guy, shaking hands with Eustace in the tumult of the station. "When you come back to Town don't forget to look us up." "No, I won't forget," replied Eustace gravely, though he privately determined to keep out of temptation's way as much as possible. "But I don't know when I'll be in England. I go to Cyprus first, and then may look in at Athens and go up the Dardanelles." "You should get married and settle down," said Guy gaily. "What do you say, Alizon?" "I'm afraid to give an opinion," replied Lady Errington discreetly. "When Mr. Gartney returns I may be able to say something."