"I have no idea whatever," replied Gartney sharply. "Your story was quite new to me. I brought my cousin here innocently enough, and if Mrs. Veilsturm thinks him sufficiently handsome to captivate, that's her business, not mine." He turned on his heel and went off, leaving Griff staring after him in the most astonished manner. "What does it mean?" pondered the old campaigner. "Oh! he doesn't seem to mind Maraquita playing the devil with his cousin, as she intends to. Now I shouldn't wonder," said the Major grimly, "I shouldn't wonder a bit if there was another lady mixed up in this affair." CHAPTER XXIV. "ON REVIENT TOUJOURS À SES PREMIÈRES AMOURS." "You have returned, I thought you would, Tho' you I spurned, You have returned; The lesson learned Will do you good. You have returned, I thought you would." When Otterburn disappeared so suddenly from the sight of his friend, he had gone straight across the room to where a slender girl dressed in a dark-green walking costume was standing near the door. "Can you remember an old friend, Miss Sheldon?" he said in a low voice. She turned round with a cry of surprise, flushing violently as she recognised him, and held out her hand with the greatest self-possession. "Of course Mr. Macjean! My memory is not quite so short as you think." They were both overcome by this unexpected meeting, but as the eyes of the world were on them they were perforce obliged to hide their emotions under a polite mask of indifference. No one, looking at this charming girl and this handsome young man, would have thought there was anything between them but the merest feelings of acquaintanceship. And yet they were both profoundly moved, and each, in some instinctive way, guessed the feelings of the other, although their greeting was so cold and studied. "I did not expect to meet you here," said Victoria in a friendly tone. "I suppose not," replied Otterburn politely, "as I only returned to Town about three weeks ago.' "You have been away?" "All over the world. Africa is the only place left for me to explore." "And I daresay you are thinking of going there next?" Otterburn laughed. "Perhaps! It all depends." "Upon what?" "Truth to tell, I hardly know," answered Macjean coolly. "Whims, fancies and desires of sport, I think." "He doesn't care a bit about me or he would not talk so coldly about going away," thought Victoria, with a sad feeling at her heart, but, being too proud to show her real feelings, merely laughed as she answered his remark. "There's nothing like enthusiasm! Well, Mr. Macjean, I'm glad to see you again." "Do you really mean that?" he said anxiously, "or is it only the conventional society phrase?" "Why should you think so?" replied Miss Sheldon in a displeased tone. "You know I always spoke my mind regardless of social observances."