TherewereveryfewpeopleuponPlatformNumberTwenty-oneofLiverpoolStreetStationataquartertonineontheeveningofApril2-possiblybecausetheplatforminquestionisoneofthemostremoteandleastusedinthegreatterminus。Thestation-master，however，wastherehimself，withaninspectorinattendance。Adark，thick-setman，wearingalongtravellingulsterandaHomburghat，andcarryinginhishandabrownleatherdressing-case，acrosswhichwaspaintedinblacklettersthenameMR。JOHNP。DUNSTER，wasstandingafewyardsaway，smokingalongcigar，and，toallappearanceabsorbedinstudyingtheadvertisementswhichdecoratedthegrimywallontheothersideofthesingletrack。Acoupleofporterswereseateduponabarrowwhichcontainedonesolitaryportmanteau。Therewerenosignsofotherpassengers，nootherluggage。Asamatteroffact，accordingtothetime-table，notrainwasduetoleavethestationortoarriveatit，onthisparticularplatform，forseveralhours。
Downattheotherendoftheplatformthewoodenbarrierwasthrustback，andaporterwithsomeluggageuponabarrowmadehisnoisyapproach。Hewasfollowedbyatallyoungmaninagreytweedsuitandastrawhatonwhichwerethecoloursofafamouscricketclub。
Theinspectorwatchedthemcuriously。“Losthisway，Ishouldthink，“heobserved。
Thestation-masternodded。“Itlooksliketheyoungmanwhomissedtheboattrain，“heremarked。“Perhapshehascometobegalift。“
Theyoungmaninquestionmadesteadyprogressuptheplatform。
Hishandswerethrustdeepintothepocketsofhiscoat，andhisforeheadwascontractedinafrown。Asheapproachedmoreclosely，hesingledoutMr。JohnP。Dunster，andmotioninghisportertowait，crossedtotheedgeofthetrackandaddressedhim。
“CanIspeaktoyouforamoment，sir？“
Mr。JohnP。Dunsterturnedatonceandfacedhisquestioner。Hedidsowithouthaste-withacertaindeliberation，infact-yethiseyesweresuddenlybrightandkeen。Hewasneatlydressed，withthequietprecisionwhichseemsasaruletocharacterisethetravellingAmerican。Hewasapparentlyofalittlelessthanmiddle-age，clean-shaven，broad-shouldered，witheveryappearanceofphysicalstrength。Heseemedlikeamanonwires，amanonthealert，likelytomissnothing。
“AreyouMr。JohnP。Dunster？“theyouthasked。
“Icarrymyvisiting-cardinmyhand，sir，“theotherreplied，swinginghisdressing-casearound。“MynameisJohnP。Dunster。“
Theyoungman’sexpressionwasscarcelyingratiating。Toanaturalsullennesswasaddednowthenervousdistasteofonewhoapproachesadisagreeabletask。
“Iwant，ifImay，toaskyouafavour，“hecontinued。“Ifyoudon’tfeellikegrantingit，pleasesaynoandI’llbeoffatonce。IamonmywaytoTheHague。Iwastohavegonebytheboattrainwhichlefthalfanhourago。Ihadtakenaseat，andtheyassuredmethatthetrainwouldnotleaveforatleasttenminutes，asthemailsweren’tin。IwentdowntheplatformtobuysomepapersandstoodtalkingforamomentortwowithamanwhomIknow。IsupposeI
musthavebeenlongerthanIthought，ortheymusthavebeenquickerthantheyexpectedwiththemailbags。Anyhow，whenIcamebackthetrainwasmoving。Theywouldnotletmejumpin。Icouldhavedoneiteasily，butthatfoolofaninspectoroverthereheldme。“
“Theyareverystrictinthiscountry，Iknow。“
Mr。Dunsteragreed，withoutchangeofexpression。
“Pleasegoon。“
“Isawyouarrive-justtoolateforthetrain。WhileIwasswearingattheinspector，Iheardyouspeaktothestation-master。
SincethenIhavemadeinquiries。IunderstandthatyouhaveorderedaspecialtraintoHarwich。“
Mr。JohnP。Dunstersaidnothing，onlyhiskeen，cleareyesseemedallthetimetobequestioningthisgloomy-lookingbutapparentlyharmlessyoungman。
“Iwenttothestation-master’soffice，“thelattercontinued，“andtriedtopersuadethemtoletmerideintheguard’svanofyourspecial，buthemadeastupidfussaboutit，soIthoughtI’dbettercometoyou。CanIbegaseatinyourcompartment，oranywhereinthetrain，asfarasHarwich？“
Mr。Dunsteravoided，forthemoment，adirectreply。Hehadtheairofamanwho，whetherreasonablyorunreasonably，dislikedtherequestwhichhadbeenmadetohim。
“Youareparticularlyanxioustocrossto-night？“heasked。
“Iam，“theyouthadmittedemphatically。“Ineveroughttohaveriskedmissingthetrain。IamdueatTheHagueto-morrow。“
Mr。JohnP。Dunstermovedhispositionalittle。Thelightfromarain-splashedgaslampshonenowfulluponthefaceofhissuppliant:
aboy’sface，whichwouldhavebeenpleasantandevenhandsomebutforthediscontentedmouth，theloweringforehead，andashadowintheeyes，asthough，boythoughhecertainlywasinyears，hehadalready，atsometimeoranother，lookedupontheseriousthingsoflife。Hisnervousness，too，wasalmostgrotesque。Hehadtheairofdislikingimmenselythisaskingafavourfromastranger。Mr。
Dunsterappreciatedallthesethings，buttherewerereasonswhichmadehimslowingrantingtheyoungman’srequest。
“WhatisthenatureofyourpressingbusinessatTheHague？“heasked。
Theyouthhesitated。
“Iamafraid，“hesaidgrimly，“thatyouwillnotthinkitofmuchimportance。Iamonmywaytoplayinagolftournamentthere。“
“AgolftournamentatTheHague！“Mr。Dunsterrepeated，inaslightlyalteredtone。“Whatisyourname？“
“GeraldFentolin。“
Mr。Dunsterstoodquitestillforamoment。Hewaspossessedofawonderfulmemory，andhewasconsciousatthatmomentofasubtleappealtoit。Fentolin！Therewassomethinginthenamewhichseemedtohimsomehowassociatedwiththethingsagainstwhichhewasonguard。Hestoodwithpuzzledfrown，reminiscentforseveralminutes，unsuccessful。Thenhesuddenlysmiled，andmovingunderneaththegaslamp，shookopenaneveningpaperwhichhehadbeencarrying。Heturnedoverthepagesuntilhearrivedatthesportingitems。Here，inalmostthefirstparagraph，hesawthenamewhichhadhappenedtocatchhiseyeamomentortwobefore:
GOLFATTHEHAGUE
Amongtheentrantsforthetournamentwhichcommencesto-morrow，areseveralwell-knownEnglishplayers，includingMr。Barwin，Mr。Parrott，Mr。HillardandMr。GeraldFentolin。
Mr。Dunsterfoldedupthenewspaperandreplaceditinhispocket。
Heturnedtowardstheyoungman。
“Soyou’reagolfer，areyou？“
“Iplayabit，“wasthesomewhatindifferentreply。
Mr。Dunsterturnedtoanotherpartofthepaperandpointedtothegreatblackhead-lines。
“Seemsaqueerthingforayoungfellowlikeyoutobeworryingaboutgames，“heremarked。“Ihaven’tbeeninthiscountrymorethanafewhours，butIexpectedtofindalltheyoungmengettingready。“
“Gettingreadyforwhat？“
“Why，tofight，ofcourse，“Mr。Dunsterreplied。“Seemsprettyclearthatthere’sanexpeditionaryforcebeingfittedout，accordingtothisevening’spaper，somewhereupintheNorthSea。
TheonlyEnglishmanI’vespokentoonthissidewaswillingtolaymeoddsthatwarwouldbedeclaredwithinaweek。“
Theyoungman’slackofinterestwascurious。
“Iamnotinthearmy，“hesaid。“Itreallydoesn’taffectme。“
Mr。Dunsterstaredathim。
“You’llforgivemycuriosity，“hesaid，“butsay，istherenothingyoucouldgetintoandfightifthisthingcamealong？“
“Nothingatall，thatIknowof，“theyouthrepliedcoolly。“Warisanaffairwhichconcernsonlythemilitaryandnavalpartoftwocountries。Thecivilpopulation-“
“Playsgolf，Isuppose，“Mr。Dunsterinterrupted。“Youngman，I
haven’tbeeninEnglandforsomeyears，andyourathertakemybreathaway。Allthesame，youcancomealongwithmeasfarasHarwich。“
Theyoungmanshowedsignsofsomesatisfaction。“Iamverymuchobligedtoyou，sir，“hededared。“IpromiseyouIwon’tbeintheway。“
Thestation-master，whohadbeenlookingthroughalittlepileoftelegramsbroughttohimbyaclerkfromhisoffice，nowturnedtowardsthem。Hisexpressionwasalittlegrave。
“Yourspecialwillbebackingdowndirectly，sir，“heannounced，“butIamsorrytosaythatwehearverybadaccountsoftheline。
Theysaythatthisisonlythefag-endofthestormthatwearegettinghere，andthatit’sbeenragingfornearlytwenty-fourhoursontheeastcoast。IdoubtwhethertheHarwichboatwillbeabletoputoff。“
“Wemusttakeourchanceaboutthat，“Dunsterremarked。“Ifthemailboatdoesn’trun，Ipresumetherewillbesomethingelsewecancharter。“
Thestation-masterlookedthecuriositywhichhedidnotactuallyexpressinwords。
“Moneywillbuymostthings，nowadays，sir，“heobserved，“butifitisn’tfitforourmailboat，itcertainlyisn’tfitforanythingelsethatcancomeintoHarwichHarbour。However，you’llhearwhattheysaywhenyougetthere。“
Mr。Dunsternoddedandrelapsedintoataciturnitywhichwasobviouslyoneofhispeculiarities。Theyoungmanstrolleddowntheplatform，andcatchingupwiththeinspector，touchedhimontheshoulder。
“Doyouknowwhothefellowisheaskedcuriously。“It’sawfullydecentofhimtoletmegowithhim，buthedidn’tseemverykeenaboutit。“
Theinspectorshookhishead。
