ame's Middleton ... I _hope_ you remember me,
for I've come to ask a favour."

As he spoke he gave Jan his card, and on it was "Captain Miles
Middleton, R. H. A.," and the addresses of two clubs.

She led him to the little drawing-room, bracing herself the while to be
firm in her refusal if the Walcotes wanted the house any longer, good
tenants though they were.

She was hopelessly vague about her guest, but felt she had met him
somewhere. She didn't like to confess how slight her recollection was,
for he looked so big and brown and friendly it seemed unkind.

He sat down, smoothed his hat, and then with an engaging smile that
showed his excellent teeth, began: "I've come--it sounds rather
farcical, doesn't it--about a dog?"

"A dog?" Jan repeated vaguely. "What dog?"

"Well, he's my dog at present, but I want him to be your dog--if you'll
have him."

"You want to give me a dog--but why? Or do you only want me to keep him
a bit for you?"

"Well, it's like this, Miss Ross; it would be cheek to ask you to keep a
young dog, and when you'd had all the trouble of him and got fond of
him--and you'll get awfully fond of him, if you have him--to take him
away again. It wouldn't be fair, it really wouldn't ... so...."

"Wait a bit," said the cautious Jan. "What sort of a dog is he ... if it
is a he...."

"He's a bull-terrier...."

"Oh, but I don't think I'm very fond of bull-terriers ... aren't they
fierce and doesn't one always associate them with public-houses? I
couldn't have a fierce dog, you know, because of the two children."

"They're always nice with children," Captain Middleton said firmly. "And
as for the pothouse idea--that's quite played out. I suppose it was that
picture with the mug and the clay pipe. He'd _love_ the children; he's
only a child himself, you know."

"A puppy! Oh, Captain Middleton, wouldn't he eat all our shoes and
things and tear up all the rugs?"

"I think he's past that, I do really--he'll be a year old on Monday.
He'll be a splendid watchdog, and he's not a bit deaf--lots of 'em are,
you know--and he's frightfully well-bred. Just you look at the
pedigree ..." and Captain Middleton produced from his breast-pocket a
folded foolscap document which he handed to Jan.

She gazed at it with polite interest, though it conveyed but little to
her mind. The name "Bloomsbury" seemed to come over and over again.
There were many dates and other names, but "Bloomsbury" certainly
prevailed,