While Esther resumed her task he roamed aimlessly about, winding up again in the salon, where she heard him rustling a newspaper. Jacques, coming in to lay the table for déjeuner, glanced across the hall and whispered to Esther.
"That capitaine will stay for déjeuner. It is good I have a ragoût to-day, there will be assez for three. I need only to put another egg in the omelette."
He laid three places, then from the recess at the bottom of the sideboard he produced a cocktail shaker and a variety of bottles.
"That young man he stay here once for three weeks," remarked Jacques. "Always he mix the cocktails, many different kind. But to-day he will not like it that I have no ice."
A latch-key grated in the outer door, the doctor's heavy step resounded along the hall, pausing at the salon.
"Ah, Holliday," he said without surprise. "I saw your car outside."
"About the last you'll see of it, doctor," the visitor replied, joining him. "I'm going to sell it. Know anybody who wants a decent little car cheap?"
The two entered the salle à manger together. Esther saw the doctor give his friend a slow ruminative glance before inquiring:
"Why do you want to get rid of it?"
"Oh, I'm thinking of leaving this part of the world in a few weeks' time. No good carting a car as far as I'm going—too damned expensive."