Doubting his father committed suicide, Don approaches the remaining three friends and tells them a "ghost" story to gain membership into the Chowder Society. In a flashback, Don tells the story of how he, a college professor in Florida, began an affair with a mysterious secretary named Alma, soon becoming engaged. Alma insisted she wanted to marry Don in his hometown of Milburn, but he was reluctant. Don soon began to suspect that something was wrong with Alma, especially when he touched her one night and realized she was as cold as a corpse. Don eventually broke things off with a furious Alma, who disappeared from his life. He fell into a depression, costing him both his reputation and his job. A month later, Don called David and learned to his horror that he had become engaged to Alma. He desperately tried to warn David, but his brother scoffed at the warning. Don then shows the three elders an old photograph he's found among his father's possessions, showing a young woman who looks identical to Alma. John, realizing what has happened, pleads with his friends to tell the truth, but is rebuffed.
