“Nothing, Aubray,” the girl answered quickly, as though to anticipate Von Tressen. “I was asking the Lieutenant about his adventures in the forest.”
The eyes fixed on them seemed to grow stern, although the smile did not relax.
“Has the Lieutenant had any adventures, then?”
“Nothing worth relating,” Von Tressen answered. Somehow he felt he did not care to allude to the one episode the girl and he had been speaking of.
Zarka’s grin widened as his eyes looked more insistent. “What is the mystery?” he demanded, addressing his cousin rather than Von Tressen.
“No mystery, Aubray,” she replied, with a little show of impatience, “but what you already know. Lieutenant Von Tressen’s unlucky shot.”
“Ah? You do not deserve to hear tales if you allude to them so indiscreetly, my good cousin.”
He spoke playfully, but there was an evil gleam in his eyes. The girl bit her lip in self-annoyance, and said nothing. Von Tressen interposed.
“I can assure you, Count, that so far as I am concerned, there was no reason why Fräulein d’Ivady should not allude to that unlucky episode. At least I deserve to be for ever reminded of my carelessness.”
Zarka made a gesture of protest. “You are my guest, Herr Lieutenant, and I do not wish you, here, at any rate, to be twitted with a mistake which might have had very serious consequences.”