“What’s that?” he asked.
“A mixture of absinth and some West Indian bitters,” Granet replied. “A chap who often goes to the States brought it back for me. Gives a cocktail the real Yankee twang, he says.”
Thomson nodded slowly.
“Rather a curious odour,” he remarked. “We shall meet again, then, Captain Granet.”
They walked towards the door. Granet held it open, leaning upon his stick.
“Many times, I trust,” he observed politely.
There was a second’s pause. His right hand was half extended but his departing guest seemed not to notice the fact. He merely nodded and put on his hat.
“It is a small world,” he said, “especially, although it sounds paradoxical, in the big places.”
He passed out. Granet listened to the sound of his retreating footsteps with a frown upon his forehead. Then he came back and stood for a moment upon the rug in front of the fire, deep in thought. The fox terrier played unnoticed about his feet. His face seemed suddenly to have become older and more thoughtful. He glanced at the card which Thomson had left upon the sideboard.
“Surgeon-Major Thomson,” he repeated quietly to himself. “I wonder!”