Cassim ben Halim and
his affairs could now be of little importance to French officials.
It did not take Roslin an hour to produce the squinting cabman; but the
old Arab was able to prove that he had been otherwise engaged than in
driving Miss Ray on the evening when she left the Hotel de la Kasbah.
His son had been ill, and the father had given up work in order to play
nurse. A doctor corroborated this story, and nothing was to be gained in
that direction.
Then it was that Nevill almost timidly renewed his suggestion of a visit
to Tlemcen. They could find out by telegraphing Josette, he admitted,
whether or no Victoria Ray had arrived, but if she were not already in
Tlemcen, she might come later, to see Mouni. And even if not, they might
find out how to reach Saidee, by catechizing the Kabyle girl. Once they
knew the way to Victoria's sister, it was next best to knowing the way
to find Victoria herself. This last argument was not to be despised. It
impressed Stephen, and he consented at once to "try their luck" at
Tlemcen.
Early in the morning of the second day after the coming of Victoria's
letter, the two men started in Nevill's yellow car, the merry-eyed
chauffeur charmed at the prospect of a journey worth doing. He was
tired, he remarked to Stephen, "de tous ces petits voyages d'une
demi-heure, comme les tristes promenades des enfants, sans une seule
aventure."
They had bidden good-bye to Lady MacGregor, and most of the family
animals, overnight, and it was hardly eight o'clock when they left
Djenan el Djouad, for the day's journey would be long.
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