I remembered the circumstance very well.

We had bidden the young girl good-by and had gone fifty yards, perhaps, when Twichell said he had forgotten something (I doubted it) and must go back.

When he rejoined me he was silent, and this alarmed me, because I had not seen an example of it before.

He seemed quite uncomfortable, and I asked him what the trouble was.

He said he had been inspired to give the girl a pleasant surprise, and so had gone back and said to her-- "That young fellow's name is not Wilkinson--that's Mark Twain." She did not lose her mind; she did not exhibit any excitement at all, but said quite simply, quite tranquilly, "Tell it to the marines, Mr.Peters--if that should happen to be _your_ name." It was very pleasant to meet her again.