The two Englishmen eventually offered a handsome reward in Austrian ducats for some intelligence regarding their missing comrade; and it came, vaguely, to the effect that two wood-cutters, three weeks back, had seen a mounted officer, answering to the description of Cecil, attempting to ford the Morava near Palenka, about forty miles off, and struggling with its current just as the sun went down, an event in these lands followed by instant darkness.
'Near Palenka?' said Captain Guebhard, with a frown, and then a cunning smile, as if questioning himself.
'Did he fairly cross?' asked Pelham.
'Who can say?' replied Guebhard; 'and if so, why has he not returned?'
'Were the bodies of a man and horse found in the river?'
'The wood-cutters said no; but I'll ride to Palenka and make inquiries, if Tchernaeiff accords me leave,' he replied, turning away.
'Why is he so solicitous in the matter?' observed Pelham; 'his dislike of our absent friend has been pretty apparent to me.'
'The devil only knows his object; but I don't like his smile.'
'With his cunning black-beady eyes and bistre-hued visage, this Guebhard reminds me of a half-nigger fellow who was gazetted to the Dragoon Guards, when I was in them before joining the Coldstreams. We were anxious to get rid of him; but he was sly as old Nick, slippery as an eel, and cautious as a lawyer. At last one evening we all came to mess with our faces painted copper-colour or black, and with huge stick-up collars, to the astonishment of the waiters and of him too; but he took the hint, and sent his papers in to the Horse Guards next day.'
So Cecil's fate remained as yet involved in mystery.