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must be confessed； confined to one side only of the net。 Captain
Jack was playing a driving； ruthless game； snatching and employing
without mercy every advantage that he could legitimately claim。 He
delivered his service with deadly precision； following up at the
net with a smashing return； which left his opponent helpless。 His
aggressive tactics gave his opponent almost no opportunity to
score； and he kept the pace going at the height of his speed。 The
onlookers were divided in their sentiments。 Stillwell had a strong
following of his own who expressed their feelings by their silence
at Jack's brilliant strokes and their loud approval of Stillwell's
good work when he gave them opportunity； while many of Maitland's
friends deprecated his tactics and more especially his spirit。
At whirlwind pace Captain Jack made the first three games a 〃love〃
score； leaving his opponent dazed； bewildered with his smashing
play and blind with rage at his contemptuous bearing。
〃I think I must go home； Frances；〃 said Adrien to her friend； her
face pale； her head carried high。
Frances seized her by the arm and drew her to one side。
〃Adrien； you must not go！ You simply must not！〃 she said in a low
tense voice。 〃It will be misunderstood； and〃
〃I am going； Frances；〃 said her friend in a cold； clear voice。 〃I
have had enough tennis for this afternoon。 Where is Sidney？ Ah；
there he is across the court。 No！ Let me go； Frances！〃
〃You simply must not go like that in the middle of a game； Adrien。
Wait at least till this game is over；〃 said her friend； clutching
hard at her arm。
〃Very well。 Let us go to Sidney；〃 said Adrien。
Together they made their way round the court almost wholly
unobserved； so intent was the crowd upon the struggle going on
before them。 As the game finished Adrien laid her hand upon her
cousin's arm。
〃Haven't you had enough of this？〃 she said。 Her voice carried
clear across the court。
〃What d'ye say？ By Jove； no！〃 said her cousin in a joyous voice。
〃This is the most cheering thing I've seen for many moons； Adrien。
Eh； what？ Oh； I beg pardon； are you seedy？〃 he added glancing at
her。 〃Oh； certainly； I'll come at once。〃
〃Not at all。 Don't think of it。 I have a call to make on my way
home。 Please don't come。〃
〃But； Adrien； I say； this will be over now in a few minutes。 Can't
you really wait？〃
〃No； I am not in the least interested in thisthis kind of
tennis；〃 she said in a bored voice。
Her tone； pitched rather higher than usual； carried to the ears of
the players who were changing ends at the moment。 Both of the men
glanced at her。 Stillwell's face showed swift gratitude。 On
Jack's face the shadow darkened but except for a slight
straightening of the line of his lips he gave no sign。
〃You are quite sure you don't care？〃 said Sidney。 〃You don't want
me？ This really is great； you know。〃
〃Not for worlds would I drag you away；〃 said Adrien in a cool；
clear voice。 〃Frances will keep you company。〃 She turned to her
friend。 〃Look after him； Frances；〃 she said。 〃Good…bye。 Dinner
at seven to…night； you know。〃
〃Right…o！〃 said Sidney； raising his hat in farewell。 〃By Jove； I
wouldn't miss this for millions；〃 he continued； making room for
Frances beside him。 〃Your young friend is really somewhat violent
in his style； eh； what？〃
〃There are times when violence is the only possible thing；〃 replied
Frances grimly。
〃By the way； who is the victim？ I mean； what is he exactly？〃
〃Mr。 Stillwell？ Oh； he is the son of his father； the biggest
merchant in Blackwater。 Oh； lovely！ Beautiful return！ Jack is
simply away above his form！ And something of a merchant and
financier on his own account； to be quite fair。 Making money fast
and using it wisely。 But I'm not going to talk about him。 You see
a lot of him about the Rectory； don't you？〃
〃Well； something；〃 replied Sidney。 〃I can't quite understand the
situation； I confess。 To be quite frank； I don't cotton much to
him。 A bit sweetish； eh； what？〃
〃Yes； at the Rectory doubtless。 I would hardly attribute to him a
sweet disposition。 Oh； quit talking about him。 He had flat feet
in the war； I think it was。 Jack's twin brother was killed； you
knowand minewell； you know how mine is。〃
A swift vision of a bright…faced； cheery…voiced soldier； feeling
his way around a darkened room in the Amory home； leaped to
Sidney's mind and overwhelmed him with pity and self…reproach。
〃Dear Miss Frances； will you forgive me？ I hadn't quite got on to
the thing。 I understand the game better now。〃
〃Now； I don't want to poison your mind。 I shouldn't have said
thatabout the flat feet； I mean。 He goes to the Rectory； you
know。 I want to be fair〃
〃Please don't worry。 We know all about that sort at home；〃 said
Sidney； touching her hand for a moment。 〃My word； that was a hot
one！ The flat…footed Johnnie is obviously bewildered。 The last
game was sheer massacre； eh； what？〃
If Maitland was not in form there was no sign of it in his work on
the court。 There was little of courtesy； less of fun and nothing
at all of mercy in his play。 From first to last and without
reprieve he drove his game ruthlessly to a finish。 So terrific； so
resistless were his attacks； so coldly relentless the spirit he
showed； ignoring utterly all attempts at friendly exchange of
courtesy； that the unhappy and enraged Stillwell； becoming utterly
demoralized； lost his nerve； lost his control and hopelessly lost
every chance he ever possessed of winning a single game of the set
which closed with the score six to nothing。
At the conclusion of the set Stillwell； with no pretense of
explanation or apology； left the courts to his enemy who stood
waiting his appearance in a silence so oppressive that it seemed
to rest like a pall upon the side lines。 So overwhelming was
Stillwell's defeat； so humiliating his exhibition of total collapse
of morale that the company received the result with but slight
manifestation of feeling。 Without any show of sympathy even his
friends slipped away； as if unwilling to add to his humiliation by
their commiseration。 On the other side； the congratulations
offered Maitland were for the most part lacking in the spontaneity
that is supposed to be proper to such a smashing victory。 Some of
his friends seemed to feel as if they had been called upon to
witness an unworthy thing。 Not so； however； with either Frances
Amory or Sidney Templeton。 Both greeted Captain Jack with
enthusiasm and warmth； openly and freely rejoicing in his victory。
〃By Jove； Maitland； that was tremendous； appalling； eh； what？〃
〃I meant it to be so；〃 said Maitland grimly； 〃else I should not
have played with him。〃
〃It was coming to him；〃 said Frances。 〃I am simply completely
delighted。〃
〃Can I give you a lift home； Frances？〃 said Maitland。 〃Let us get
away。 You； too； Templeton；〃 he added to Sidney； who was lingering
near the young lady in obvious unwillingness to leave her side。
〃Oh； thanks！ Sure you have room？〃 he said。 〃All right。 You know
my cousin left me in your care。〃
〃Oh； indeed！ Well； come along then； since our hero is so good。
Really； I am uplifted to quite an unusual height of glorious
exultation。〃
〃Don't rub it in； Frank；〃 said Jack gloomily。 〃I made an ass of
myself； I know quite well。〃
〃What rot； Jack。 Every one of your friends was tickled to death。〃
〃Adrien； for instance； eh？〃 said Jack with a bitter little laugh；
taking his place at the wheel。
〃Oh； Adrien！〃 replied Frances。 〃Well； you know Adrien！ She is
just Adrien。〃
As he turned into the street there was a sound of rushing feet。
〃Hello； Captain Jack！ Oh； Captain Jack！ Wait for me！ You have
room； haven't you？〃
A whirlwind of flashing legs and windblown masses of gold…red hair；
which realised itself into a young girl of about sixteen； bore down
on the car。 It was Adrien's younger sister； Patricia； and at once
her pride and her terror。
〃Why； Patsy； where on earth did you come from？ Of course！ Get in！
Glad to have you； old chap。〃
〃Oh； Captain Jack； what a game！ What a wonderful game！ And Rupert
has been playing all summer and awfully well！ And you have hardly
played a game！ I was awfully pleased〃
〃Were you？ I'm not sure that I was；〃 replied Captain Jack。
〃Well； you WERE savage； you know。 You looked as if you were in a
fight。〃
〃Did I？ That was very rotten of me； wasn't it？〃
〃Oh； I don't know exactly。 But it was a wonderful game。 Of
course； one doesn't play tennis like a fight； I suppose。〃
〃No！ You are quite right； Pat；〃 replied Captain Jack。 〃You see；
I'm afraid I lost my temper a bit； which is horribly bad form I
know； andwell； I wanted to fight rather than play； and of course
one couldn't fight on the tennis court in the presence of a lot of
ladies； you see。〃
〃Well； I'm glad you didn't fight； Captain Jack。 You have had
enough of fighting； haven't you？ And Rupert is really very nice；
you know。 He has a wonderful car and he lets me drive it； and he
always brings a box of chocolates every time he comes。〃
〃He must be perfectly lovely；〃 said Captain Jack； with a grin at
her。
The girl laughed