Falcon met us at the door with a telegram addressed to 'Miss Mansel.'
The wording was short and to the point.
Have met with accident can you come Piers Paris.
The next train to Paris left Pau in twelve minutes time.
Adèle and a white-faced Jill caught it by the skin of their teeth.
They had their tickets, the clothes they stood up in, a brace of vanity bags, and one hundred and forty-five francs. But that was all. It was arranged feverishly upon the platform that Jonah and I should follow, with such of their effects as Daphne gave us, by the ten-thirty train.
Then a horn brayed, I kissed Adèle's fingers, poor Jill threw me a ghost of a smile, and their coach rolled slowly out of the station….
I returned to the car dazedly.
Thinking it over, I decided that we had done the best we could. On arrival at Bordeaux, my wife and cousin could join the Spanish express, which was due to leave that city at ten-fifteen; this, if it ran to time, would bring them to the French capital by seven o'clock the next morning. Jonah and I would arrive some five hours later….
The Bank was closed, of course, so I drove to the Club forthwith to get some money. Jonah was not there, but, as he was certain to call, I left a note with the porter, telling him what had occurred. Then I purchased our tickets—a lengthy business. It was so lengthy, in fact, that when it was over I called again at the Club on the chance of picking up Jonah and bringing him home. He had not arrived….