"Only twice, then?" The Englishman leaned back, clearly a little relieved.
"As you haven't my genealogical table and know not a single ancestor of mine on either side, Mr. Dunneston," the American mocked on, "it was inexcusably vain of me to presume that an Englishman would hesitate to connect me with these robberies—merely from knowing me."
"But, my dear Mr. Preston," the Briton protested, "you've no idea how I have hesitated on that very point, really! And I wouldn't press it now, in spite of those additional coincidences at Canterbury and Chichester, except—" he stared down a moment at the news column beside his plate; then he studied his young travelling acquaintance across the table—"that you mentioned to me the other day, Mr. Preston," he continued, "that you were stopping in Rochester the fortnight back and in Winchester the week's end before that."
"Why, yes, I did, Mr. Dunneston."
4
