Part 84 (2/2)

See?”

He turned the cigar in his mouth, and his tic suddenly became very apparent.

”And what am I to do?” asked Alston.

”When I get to Djen-anne, I'll open out at once, come right to business.

You stop here. As likely as not the little lady'll come back in the car to take you for a spin. If she does, keep her out till late. You can tell her a good bit depends on it.”

”Very well.”

”Happen she'll dine with you?” threw out Crayford, always with the same half-humorous dryness.

”Do you mean that you wish me to try and keep Mrs. Heath to dinner?”

said Alston, with bland formality.

”She might cheer you up. You might cheer each other up.”

At this point in the conversation Crayford allowed a faint smile to distort slightly one corner of his mouth.

Charmian did come down from Mustapha in Crayford's big yellow car. She was in a state of great excitement.

”O Alston!” she exclaimed, ”where are we going? What a man he is when it comes to business! He simply packed me off. I have never been treated in such a way before. We've got hours and hours to fill up somehow. I feel almost as if I were waiting to be told on what day I am to be guillotined, like a French criminal. How will Claude get on with him?

Just think of those two shut in together!”

As Alston got into the car she repeated:

”Where are we going?”

”_Allez au Diable!_” said Alston to Crayford's chauffeur, who was a Frenchman.

”_Bien, m'sieu!_”

”And--” Alston pulled out his watch. ”You must take at least seven hours to get there.”

”_Tres bien, m'sieu._”

”That's a cute fellow,” said Alston to Charmian, as they drove off.

”Knows how to time things!”

It was evening when they returned to the hotel, dusty and tired.

”You'll dine with me, Mrs. Charmian!” said Alston.

”Oh, no; I must go home now. I can't wait any longer.”

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