He is a young man from London suffering from nervous exhaustion, and he goes to the countryside for some prescribed rest.
He is shown to the parlour by Mrs Sappleton's niece, Vera (Ritchie), who entertains him while he awaits the appearance of his host.
Mrs Sappleton arrives in the room, and quite blithely references that the doors are left open in expectation of her husband and sons.
As they sit, trying to make polite conversation, Framton notices figures emerging from the mist and heading towards the open doors.
She explains that he had spent a terrible night some years ago being chased by a pack of wild dogs.