n to know where I am.'

'You are convinced that I was right about him, then?'

'I am convinced there will be a battle royal between me and that man,' he
said, and there was a far-away look in his eyes. 'Perhaps--perhaps--I
don't know,--the ways of Providence are strange. There is going to be a
terrible fight; I can see it coming.'

'What, between you and Springfield?'

'Yes; but there is something more than that, something greater. But I
must fight,--I must fight.'

I did not understand the look in his eyes, or the tone of his voice.

'What, to protect yourself against Springfield?' I said.

'To save a woman's soul,' was his reply. 'Would you mind if we didn't
talk about it any more just now?' He went on with his dinner as though
nothing had happened, and if a stranger had been sitting by, he would
have said that Edgecumbe had no interest in the party close by.

'I think I must go and speak to them,' I said; 'it would seem
discourteous to be so near, and not speak to people who have shown me so
much kindness.'

'Go if you like,' was his answer, 'but don't let them see me. I am going
back to the hotel.'

I waited until he had left the room, and then turned towards Sir Thomas
Bolivick's table.

CHAPTER XXIX

CROSS CURRENTS

I received a hearty welcome as I came up, and Sir Thomas tried to
persuade me to spend the evening with them, and to accompany them to the
theatre. As far as I could judge, however, neither Springfield nor Lorna
seconded his proposal. I thought she preferred Springfield's company to
my own. They were now sitting over their coffee. Sir Thomas was smoking
a huge cigar, while Springfield lit cigarette after cigarette and threw
them away before they were half consumed.

'When did you come up?' I asked.

'Oh, we have been here four days. Captain Springfield--oh, I beg his
pardon,--Colonel Springfield, has to go to the front the day after
to-morrow, and I was anxious to see him before he went.'

'"Colonel"?' I said. 'Have you been gazetted?' and I turned to
Springfield as I spoke.

'Sir Thomas is a little premature,' he replied with a smile. 'My name
was down for my majority before I returned home wounded, and I was
gazetted two months ago. As to my being colonel,--but there, it is no
use making a secret of it, I suppose I am to have my battalion
immediately on my return.'

'Yes, I saw General ---- at the War Office yesterday,' and Sir Thomas
smiled benignantly. '