“You need not,” Zarka rejoined with a smile. “You have but to pay a visit to the farm and notice whether the Fräulein’s throat is bound up. I fancy she did not come through the encounter quite unscathed. That should be proof enough for a reasonable man. If I am wrong in my assertion I shall be happy to give you any satisfaction you may demand. For the present there is no more to be said. Good-day, gentlemen. Auf Wiedersehen.”
He gave a touch to the bridle, wheeled, and rode off, the very incarnation of triumphant, Satanic politeness.
For the few seconds which elapsed before Zarka was out of sight neither of the two men spoke. Then as Galabin glanced at his friend, the Lieutenant turned away with a gesture of despair.
“You don’t believe what that fellow says?” Galabin observed sympathetically. “What is this but a new move in his game. He sees he cannot coerce or frighten you, that you mean to stand up to him, and so is attacking you from behind. I thought there was some object in his rather unnatural civility, considering, that is, the terms on which you stand with him. No, no; you must not believe it.”
But his friend was unconvinced.
“Believe it?” he cried miserably. “I would give my right hand not to believe it. But I fear it may be all too true.”
“My dear friend,” Galabin remonstrated; “which is more likely to deceive you, this man Zarka, whose ways we know are crooked, or the girl, whom you have every reason to trust?”
“I do not know; I cannot understand it,” Von Tressen replied desperately. “It is all so mysterious; our seeing her in the forest with the man she professes to hate: it tallies with D’Alquen’s account of her; then the woman we saw in the valley last night, going towards the farm—ah, I wish I could have caught her and known the truth!—and now this story of the duel. Horaz, I hate myself for the thought, but I must put this terrible uncertainty beyond a doubt at once. I am going to Gorla’s Farm to put it to the proof.”
Philippa, ever now on the watch, saw him coming down to the valley, and went eagerly to meet him.