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.

"He has not yet come," Hal replied.

"Then he must be a slow walker, or--but will you take my car and go
back to look for him? Will take you to the spot where your young
captain left us on foot?"