"This," said Jack, referring to his companion, "is a friend of mine." It was dark in the passage, and Madge was a little flurried. She perceived that Jack had a companion, and that was all. "Go into the sitting-room, I'll bring you a lamp in a minute. Ella has gone to take her hat off." Presently, returning with the lighted lamp in her hand, placing it on the table, she glanced at Jack's companion--and stared. In her astonishment, she all but knocked the lamp over. Jack laughed. "I believe," he said, "you two have met before." Madge continued speechless. She passed her hand before her eyes, as if to make sure she was not dreaming. Jack laughed again. "I repeat that I believe you two have met before." Madge drew herself up to her straightest and her stiffest. Her tone was icy. "Yes, I rather believe we have." She rather believed they had?--If she could credit the evidence of her own eyes the man in front of her was the stranger who had so unwarrantably intruded on pretence of seeking music lessons--who had behaved in so extraordinary a fashion! "This," went on Jack airily, "is a friend of mine, Bruce Graham,--Graham, this is Miss Brodie." Madge acknowledged the introduction with an inclination of the head which was so faint as to be almost imperceptible. Mr. Graham, on the contrary, bent almost double--he seemed scarcely more at his ease than she was. "I'm afraid, Miss Brodie, that I've behaved very badly. I trust you will allow me to express my contrition." "I beg you will not mention it," she turned away; "I will go and tell Ella you have come." There came a voice from behind her. "You needn't--Ella is aware of it already." As Ella came into the room, she moved to leave it. Jack caught her by the arm. "Madge, don't go away in a fume!--you wait till you have heard what I have got to say. Do you know that we're standing in the presence of a romance in real life--on the verge of a blood-curdling mystery? Fact!--aren't we, Graham?" Mr. Graham's language was slightly less emphatic. "We are, or rather we may be confronted by rather a curious condition of affairs." Jack waved his arm excitedly. "I say it's the most extraordinary thing. Now, honestly, Graham, isn't it a most extraordinary thing?" "It certainly is rather a striking illustration of the long arm of coincidence." "Listen to him. Isn't he cold-blooded? If you'd heard him an hour or two ago, he was hot enough to melt all the ice-cream in town. But you wait a bit. This is my show, and I'll let you know it. Sit down, Ella--sit down, Madge--Graham, take a chair. To you a tale I will unfold." Taking up his position on the hearthrug in front of the fireplace, he commenced to orate. "You see this man. His name's Graham. He digs in the same house I do. To be perfectly frank, his rooms are on the opposite side of the landing. You may have heard me speak of him." "I have. Often!" This was Ella.