Eph was very silent—for him. After fifteen more minutes had gone by young Somers sauntered out into the road, where he could command a long view in the direction in which he would naturally look for Jack's approach in Mlle. Nadiboff's car.
After some ten minutes Eph Somers came running up the roadway.
"It's all right," he announced. "The car is coming."
In hardly a minute more the car rolled up to the veranda, and stopped. Mlle. Nadiboff, catching sight of the little party, smiled and nodded graciously as she stepped to the veranda.
"Where's Captain Benson?" inquired Hal, starting toward her.
"Captain Benson?" repeated Mlle. Nadiboff, looking a trifle surprised.
"Hasn't he returned?"
"Not yet," Hal Hastings answered her, his gaze fixed steadily on the young woman's face. "How could he return ahead of your car, Mademoiselle?"
"Why, he left me more than half an hour ago, and within two miles of here," replied the young woman, easily. "I proposed going to another hotel, a few miles from here, for luncheon. So he asked me to put him down, saying he would walk in. That was not more than two miles from here, was it, Gaston?"
"Much less than two miles," replied the chauffeur.
"And he hasn't returned?" queried Mlle. Nadiboff, looking mildly curious.