ow at Mr. Dunn's
face.

"God bless my soul! This is unheard of. How came you by this, Sir?"

"Miss Brodie--" began Dunn.

"Miss Brodie?"

"She is in the waiting room, Sir."

"Then, for heaven's sake, bring her in! Davie, Davie! Where is that man
now? Here, Davie, a message to Mr. Thomlinson."

Davie entered with deliberate composure.

"My compliments to Mr. Thomlinson, and ask if he would step over at
once. It is a matter of extreme urgency. Be quick!"

But Davie had his own mind as to the fitness of things. "Wad a note no'
be better, Sir? Wull not--?"

"Go, will you!" almost shouted Mr. Rae.

Davie was so startled at Mr. Rae's unusual vehemence that he seized his
cap and made for the door. "He'll no' come for the like o' me," he
said, pausing with the door-knob in his hand. "It's no' respectable like
tae--"

"Man, will ye no' be gone?" cried Mr. Rae, rising from his chair.

"I will that!" exclaimed Davie, banging the door after him. "But," he
cried furiously, thrusting his head once more into the room, "if he'll
no' come it's no' faut o' mine." His voice rose higher and higher, and
ended in a wrathful scream as Mr. Rae, driven to desperation, hurled a
law book of some weight at his vanishing head.

"The de'il take ye! Ye'll be my deith yet."

The book went crashing against the door-frame just as Miss Brodie was
about to enter. "I say," she cried, darting back. "Heaven protect me!
Rob, save me!"

Rob sprang to her side. She stood for a moment gazing aghast at Mr.
Dunn, who gazed back at her in equal surprise. "Is this his 'usual'?"
she inquired.

At that the door opened. "Ah, Mr. Dunn, this is Miss Brodie, I suppose.
Come in, come in!" Mr. Rae's manner was most bland.

Miss Brodie gave him her hand with some hesitation. "I'm very glad to
meet you, Mr. Rae, but is this quite the usual method? I mean to say,
I've heard of having advice hurled at one's head, but I can't say that I
ever was present at a demonstration of the method."

"Oh," said Mr. Rae, with bland and gallant courtesy, "the method, my
dear young lady, varies with the subject in hand."

"Ah, the subject!"

"And with the object in view."

"Oh, I see."

"But pray be seated. And now explain this most wonderful phenomenon." He
tapped the letter.

"Oh, that is quite simple," said Miss Brodie. "I set the case of young
Mr. Cameron before my uncle, and of course he at once saw that the only
thing to do was withdraw the prosecution."