The strange fellow offered not a word of explanation, but chatted as though their meeting in such places as this were an everyday occurrence.
"I have something interesting to tell you," he observed, when they were seated in the brilliant dining-room, with olives, sardines, and the like to toy with before the serious commencement of their meal.

"You remember--when was it?
not long ago--asking me about a family named Quodling ?" "Of course I do.

It was only the other day at--" "Ah, just so, yes," interposed Greenacre, suavely ignoring the locality.

"You know my weakness for looking up family histories.

I happened to be talking with my friend Beeching yesterday--Aldham Beeching, you know, the Q.C .-- and Quodling came into my head.