I went to bed that night with a feeling of intense exhilaration. Mary’s challenge, with anything like ordinary luck, meant a pretty comfortable victory for me, for although only a moderate golfer—my handicap was twelve—the strength and power of my long game should prove too much for Mary whatever she might do with me on the green. And victory for me, according to the Considine Manor tradition, would mean the equivalent of “Yes” to my proposal. For Mary to run the risk of a defeat from me at golf was tantamount to an admission that she loved me. At the same time as I came to consider the matter more fully I began to realize that I shouldn’t be able to throw anything away. Mary had the well-merited reputation of winning many a hole by the uncanny accuracy of her short game. As Jack Considine had said to me more than once in the past when discussing his sister’s game—“Bill—she’s a perfect whale at putts.” I came to the conclusion that if I could consistently out-drive her and only keep my head on the green, I should be on velvet as regards the game’s ultimate result. When I woke next morning this idea was uppermost in my mind and the brilliant August sun that poured in at my bedroom-window only served to make me even more confident. Mary was a prize worth playing for! I forgot all the recent sinister associations of the Manor and, freshly tubbed and newly razored, floated gaily down to a light but pleasing breakfast.
256

Anthony was nowhere to be found. He had breakfasted, I heard upon inquiry, very early, and had excused himself to the others, upon an errand of some importance.

Also—there was no sign of Mary. I concluded—without any worrying—that she was taking full time over her matutinal toilet.

The Cranwick course was a matter of half an hour’s easy stroll from the Manor so that leaving there at ten o’clock we should be able to make a start very little after half-past ten.

“I’ve been as good as my word, Bill.” Sir Charles bustled into the breakfast room. “I’ve ’phoned to Baddeley and he’s coming along at once. He seems to think that last night’s affair has a bearing upon poor Gerry Prescott.”
257

I’m afraid I wasn’t as interested as he was or even as I should have been—to me Prescott was dead. Past helping! My mind was of Mary. I muttered a commonplace answer and turned away. Then with an apology I wandered into the garden. When well away from the house, I tried a swing with an imaginary club and thought of all my golfing vices,—those my friends delighted in pointing out. Did I swing too fast?—Did I cut across the ball? Did I “grumph” a straightforward shot? I tried another swing and decided that there was nothing wrong with it. I was full of confidence as I looked at my watch. Time was getting on. I went back to the house, got my clubs, and strolled off towards Cranwick. I should keep my nerve better, I concluded, if I went alone—and the idea came to me that perhaps Mary had given way to the same idea. It was five and twenty minutes past ten when I reached the Cranwick course and the others had already arrived. Jack Considine, looking none the worse for his narrow escape on the previous evening, was talking to his sister when Anthony came forward to meet me.

“Morning, Bill!” he sang out. “Fit and well?” He grinned. “Because you’ll need to be, my lad, to win. I’ve been giving Mary the benefit of some special coaching. Don’t see why you should walk away with all the plums.”

I laughed. “I’m top-hole, old man—and out to win—take it from me.”

As I spoke Mary looked straight across at me. I could see that she was frightfully nervous, and I can tell you I wasn’t sorry to see it. She walked over to me—her hands were trembling. As she noticed me glance at them she blushed deliciously and to cover her confusion bent down to tie the lace of her brogue that had come undone. She attempted to put it right—but unsuccessfully—so, looking up at me shyly, called me to fix things for her.
258

“Are you ready—you two?” cried Anthony—“time’s getting on, you know.”

“What’s your handicap, Mary?” I asked.

She shook her head. “You have the honor, Bill, and please get it over quickly.”

I took the first two holes easily............