“Perhaps,” Tavernake said quickly, “you would take supper with me? I am going abroad, and I should like to say good-bye properly. A bottle of champagne and some supper. What do you say, Professor?”
The professor suffered his features to relax.
“A very admirable idea,” he declared. “Where shall we go?”
“Is it too late to get to Imano's?” Tavernake suggested.
The professor hesitated.
“A taxicab,” he remarked, “would do it, if—”
He paused, and Tavernake smiled.
“A taxicab it shall be,” he decided. “I am in funds just for the moment. Come along, both of you, and I'll tell you all about it.”
He made her take his arm, although her fingers did no more than touch his coat sleeve.
“Pritchard came and dug me out,” he continued. “I am going abroad with him. It's sort of prospecting in some new country at the back of British Columbia. We see what we can find and then go to a financier's and start companies, mining companies and oil fields—anything. I am off in a week.”