"Is your name Ossington?"
"Ossington? Ossington?" She touched the sides of her forehead with the tips of her fingers, glancing about her affrightedly, as if making an effort to recall her surroundings. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Who said Ossington? Who said it? Who asked if my name was--Ossington?"
Mr. Graham addressed Miss Brodie.
"With your permission I should like to speak to this woman--after the man has gone."
In his last words there was meaning.
"By all means, if you wish it. Get rid of him at once. At the best the fellow is an impudent intruder, and the story he tells is a ridiculously lame one. He must have been perfectly well aware that a woman of this sort was not likely to possess a house of her own, and that accepting what he calls her invitation he was committing felony."
The fellow in question shook his head as if he felt himself ill-used.
"I call that hard--cruel hard. If the young lady was to think of it for half a moment she'd see as it was cruel hard."
"The young lady declines to think of it. Have the goodness to take yourself away, and consider yourself lucky that you are allowed to escape scot free."
The man moved towards the door, endeavouring to bear himself as if he were doing so of his own free will. He spoke to the woman.