like hers within
twelve hours," he retorted quickly, then, as though he had committed
himself, changed the current of thought suddenly. "What a
conscientious child you are, Esther," he said, smiling at her; "you
won't let me abuse anyone, will you? I say, will you let me call you
by your first name? It seems so----"

He had been regarding her with a closer attention than any driver
should give to his companion. The result was a violent swerve to the
far side of the road, barely missing a lamp-post.

"Good God! What's the fool about?"

Esther screamed, starting to her feet. They had only just avoided
cutting short the life of an ill-starred pedestrian who was in the act
of crossing diagonally to a small cafe. The wayfarer stood in the
middle of the road, hurling imprecations in the choicest argot at
Roger, while a waiter in a dirty apron and two seedy guests on the
sidewalk joined him ardently. Ignoring the abuse with lofty scorn,
Roger was proceeding on his way when Esther clutched his arm.

"Stop please, stop! I want to speak to that man. He's a friend of
mine!"

She laughed as, completely astonished, Roger obeyed her command and
brought the car to a halt.

CHAPTER XX

The man in the road, a short, thickset brigand by the look of him,
rushed up to the car, hat in hand, his face beaming.

"_C'est bien, mademoiselle! Ah, mademoiselle, que je suis ravi de vous
voir!_"

"Jacques!--it's Jacques, Roger, the doctor's servant."

On hearing this, Roger expressed his regret at having so nearly ended
the other's career. The little man's animosity had quite vanished, his
black eyes shone with kindly affection which included his late enemy.

"_Ah, ca n'est rien, monsieur, c'etait ma faute, je vous assure!_ And
how goes everything with you, mademoiselle?"

"Quite all right, thank you, Jacques. And you?"

"Ah, what you call so-so--_comme ci, comme ca_. Now I look after
Captain Holliday; he stay at the house, but I think not for long. The
Captain he sleep nearly all day; I not have to cook much for him. But
I learn to make cocktails," he added, with a twinkle.

"I suppose you'll be glad to get the doctor back?"

The little man looked dubious.

"Yes, but I tell you, mademoiselle, I not feel so sure the doctor means
to come back soon, perhaps not for a long time."

"Why, what makes you think that?"

"Ah----" He hesitated, digging the thick toe of his boot in between
the cobble stones and