inced. The idea expressed, the very wording of its
expression, grated upon him horribly, apart from the identity of the
subject thereof. In such wise would May from time to time lapse, and
become, as Aletta had put it to herself, "common."

He made no comment upon her vehement and ill-natured dictum, knowing
perfectly well that it was uttered quite as much as a challenge to
himself as to relieve the utterer's feelings; and he was far too old and
experienced to be drawn by any such transparent device. But as they
re-entered the sitting-room the jarring effect of the words was
intensified, bringing back in vivid contrast the last time he was there;
that evening when he had been so near turning the most momentous corner
which could meet him within the career of life. He had not turned it.
A warning hand had, so to speak, been held up. This girl--he could see
her as she was then, in her sweet alluring beauty, soft-voiced,
appealing. He could see her now, hard-eyed, vindictive, and expressing
herself in a manner that savoured of the wash-tub. What a near thing it
had been--how narrow his escape!

He would have been tied fast, bound hand and foot. Even now there was a
certain length of loose coil around him, which would need some care and
judgment entirely to cast off. Still there was no hard-and-fast bond,
and looking backward over the events of the past three weeks or so, he
felt lost in thankfulness because of the trivial, fortuitous incident
which had availed to stay his tongue when it had so nearly spoken.

"You are not particularly lively, after all this time, Colvin."

He started, and put down the paper he had pretended to read, while the
above reflections were coursing through his brain. They were alone
together in the room, he and May. Frank, divested of his coat and
waistcoat, could be seen in the distance doing odd jobs, and Mrs
Wenlock had withdrawn for an afternoon nap. Her visitors, she declared,
although dear girls, had tired her.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not," he said. "I believe I'm tired. Well, let's
talk."

Something in the words brought back that last evening they were thus
alone together. The recollection softened her, but only for a moment.

"I can imagine it seems dull now that your Dutch friends are gone," she
began, in a crisp, gunpowdery way which was more than a declaration of
war. It was in fact the firing of the first shell.

"Oh, bother it, May, why will you harp on that insan