to cut blooms in her rose-garden. Only, as Jane found out, you
cannot decorously lead up to a scolding if you are very keen on
golf, and go golfing with a person who is equally enthusiastic, and
who all the way to the links explains exactly how he played every
hole the last time he went round, and all the way back gloats over,
in retrospection, the way you and he have played every hole this
time.

So Jane considered her afternoon, didactically, a failure. But, in
the smoking-room that night, young Cathcart explained the game all
over again to a few choice spirits, and then remarked: "Old Jane was
superb! Fancy! Such a drive as that, and doing number seven in three
and not talking about it! I've jolly well made up my mind to send no
more bouquets to Tou-Tou. Hang it, boys! You can't see yourself at
champagne suppers with a dancing-woman, when you've walked round the
links, on a day like this, with the Honourable Jane. She drives like
a rifle shot, and when she lofts, you'd think the ball was a
swallow; and beat me three holes up and never mentioned it. By Jove,
a fellow wants to have a clean bill when he shakes hands with her!"




CHAPTER III

THE SURPRISE PACKET


The sun-dial pointed to half past four o'clock. The hour of silence
appeared to be over. The birds commenced twittering; and a cuckoo,