She repeated the gesture she had used to Madge--raising her voice, at the same time, to a shrill scream.
"Go away! go away! This house is mine--mine! I don't want any trespassers here."
Graham turned to Madge.
"Do you authorise me to gain an entry?"
"Certainly. I don't want to spend the night out here."
Permission was no sooner given than the thing was done. Grasping the upper sash of the window with both his hands, Graham brought it down with a run, tearing away the hasp from its fastening as if it had been so much thread. It was a capital object-lesson of the utility of such a safeguard against the wiles of a muscular burglar. The upper sash being lowered, in another moment the lower one was raised. Mr. Graham was in the room. The woman was possibly too astonished by the unceremonious nature of his proceedings to attempt any resistance, even had she felt disposed.
Graham addressed Miss Brodie through the window.
"Will you come this way? or shall I open the door?"
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd rather you opened the door."
He opened the door. Presently they were in the sitting-room, face to face with the intruders. Graham took them to task--the woman evincing no sign of discomposure.