Ronnie looked injured.
"M'm. Some shop girl," insisted the big man. "One of your pickups, huh?"
"I tell you I have been alone all the evening," said Ronnie, resigned. "François, isn't that so?"
Jan Steppe saved the servant from needless perjury.
"He's as big a liar as you are. You'll burn your fingers one of these days." He had a deep, harsh laugh, entirely without merriment. "You had a little trouble about one last year, didn't you?"
Merville, impatient and fretful, broke in. "Let him alone, Steppe. I want to get this business over."
Steppe stared at him. "Oh, you want to get it over, do you? We'll hurry things up for you, doctor!"
Ronnie was interested. He had never heard Steppe speak to Merville in that tone. There had been a marked change in Jan's attitude, even in the past few days. However, Ronnie was chiefly concerned in considering all the possible reasons for this call. The doctor explained and Ronnie breathed again.
"We'll sit here," said Steppe.
He sat down in Ronnie's library chair and taking a bundle of documents from his inside pocket, he threw them on the table.