to him that hath-第2章

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〃I　don't　like　this　at　all；〃　said　a　man　with　iron　grey　hair　and
deeply　tanned　face。

〃One　can't　well　object；　Russell；〃　said　a　younger　man；　evidently　a
friend　of　Stillwell's。　　〃Maitland　brought　it　on；　and　I　hope　he　gets
mighty　well　trimmed。　　He　is　altogether　too　high　and　mighty　these
days。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　agree　with　you　at　all；〃　broke　in　Frances；　in　a　voice
coldly　proper。　　〃You　heard　what　Mr。　Stillwell　said？〃

〃Well；　not　exactly。〃

〃Ah；　I　might　have　guessed　you　had　not；〃　answered　the　young　lady；
turning　away。

Edwards　looked　foolishly　round　upon　the　circle　of　men　who　stood
grinning　at　him。

〃Now　will　you　be　good？〃　said　a　youngster　who　had　led　the　laugh　at
Edwards'　expense。

〃What　the　devil　are　you　laughing　at；　Menzies？〃　he　asked　hotly。

〃Why；　don't　you　see　the　joke？〃　enquired　Menzies　innocently。　　〃Well；
carry　on！　　You　will　to…morrow。〃

Edwards　growled　out　an　oath　and　took　himself　off。

Meantime　the　match　was　making　furious　progress；　with　the　fury；　it
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