Goodby." And then Isobel had retired to her room and cried passionately, while the Doctor had gone off chuckling to himself as if he were perfectly satisfied with the state of affairs.
During the week that had since elapsed the Major had wondered and grumbled several times at Bathurst's absence.
"I expect," he said one day, when a note of refusal had come from him, "that he doesn't care about meeting Forster.

You remember Forster said they had been at school together, and from the tone in which he spoke it is evident that they disliked each other there.

No doubt he has heard from the Doctor that Forster is frequently in here," and the Major spoke rather irritably, for it seemed to him that Isobel showed more pleasure in the Captain's society than she should have done after what he had said to her about him; indeed, Isobel, especially when the Doctor was present, appeared by no means to object to Captain Forster's attentions.
Upon the evening, however, of the day when Isobel had spoken to Mrs.
Doolan, Bathurst came in, rather late in the evening.
"How are you, Bathurst ?" the Major said cordially.

"Why, you have become quite a stranger.

We haven't seen you for over a fortnight.