asp in her bewilderment.
"Certainly not I was christened Kenneth."

"But--you said your name was Kershaw?"

"So it is. Kenneth Kershaw. Now you mention it, though, I have a
relative named Colvin: er--a first cousin."

"First cousin? Why, you might be his twin brother," burst forth May
impulsively. "Why, the voice--even your way of talking--No, I never saw
such a wonderful likeness in my life." And then, catching a curious
expression in the other's eyes, she suddenly remembered the position,
and flushed hotly, realising how completely she must have given herself
away. The man, looking at her, was thinking to himself, "What a pretty
girl! What a devilish pretty girl! Lucky Colvin, wherever he may be!
Lucky as usual." But aloud he said:

"Is that so? I believe we used to be considered rather alike, but we
haven't seen each other for quite a number of years. Have you seen him
lately, Miss--er--Miss--"

"Wenlock," supplemented May.

"Miss Wenlock--thanks. Now we know each other, and I cannot
sufficiently appreciate the good fortune that drew me here this morning
to see that trainload of fools off."

Even then May could hardly believe her senses. The look, the voice, the
easy and perfectly unembarrassed manner, every inflection of tone even,
was simply Colvin reproduced. Could it really be himself, trying how
completely he could take her in? Yet something told her it could not
be. He was not addicted to practical jokes--indeed, rather disliked
them.

"Why do you call it a trainload of fools, Mr Kershaw?" she said; "I am
more inclined to think that is the word for some of us who are left
behind."

"Oh, they are. For instance, it is strange how sparsely distributed is
a sense of humour and of the eternal fitness of things! As if race
feeling is not at sufficiently high pressure already, those idiots must
needs flourish the red rag in the Dutchmen's faces. The patriotic song
may be all right in its proper place, but it doesn't come well from a
crowd engaged in running away as fast as its legs--or, in this case its
wheels--can carry it. For two pins those fellows over there,"
designating the group of sullen, scowling burghers, "would have blazed
into the whole mob."

The group referred to comprised one unit to whom the speaker was clearly
an object of very great interest indeed; not on account of the words
just uttered, for they had been spoken in by no means a loud tone, and
the distance was gre