The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-29
AT THE CRUCIAL MOMENT.

Il believe she said, after he had
missed an easy putt, giving her a
chance to take the last hole and bring
him in one down, that you could have
beaten me if you had tried"
The caddies had run anead toward
the clubhouse. and he and the 1.-the,
beautiful, splendid girl stood alone at
the edge of the green.
Did play as if were not trying to
do my best? ?" he asked.
We'll. of course, it is pretty hard to
Judge from appearances when one is
playing golf. l think / could play off
without letting it be known, and pre-
sumo any one else could do so. There
ly, you see, that any one could make a
frightfully poor stroke and never be
suspected
But you nave suspected me-"
| Forgive me if 1 wronged you," she
replied. looking away across the green,
undulating course that lay below them
L didn't intend to be uncomplimentary,
or-or to question your sincerity"
| "Oh, please don't imagine, Miss Will
ton, that you have hurt my feelings. In
| fact, l, ought to be gratified, 1 suppose,
to think that you consider me capable
of playing better than did"
But really, did you do your very
best?" she asked, turning toward him
with a wiStful smile.
Certainly. played as we'll as
knew how. The trouble was that in adj
was against me right along. You
couldn't help seeing that, I suppose.
Hadn't we better go in? ordered din
ner for $50, and it must be nearly that
now"
''I wish the caddies hadn't gone
away. I'd like to have you try that
putt over just to see if you couldn't
make it at least nine times out of ten
81 know 1 could. But that happened
to be the bad tenth time. That's always
the trouble in golf. It's at the. critical
moment that one is apt to fail. Shall we
go?''
Lets see.'' she said, walking back to
the hole. your ball lay about here
didn't it? There isn't hump of any
kind that could have turned it aside
and it isn't more than seven or eight
feet, is it?''
mo, hardly that. think must have
taken my eyes off the ball just as I hit
it"
Perhaps that was it. Well, 1 suppose
we ought to go in. But it seems queer.
never saw you miss a putt like that
before. And you played very badly at
the seventh hole. Are you quite sure
you were doing your best there?'
IT always fall down there, for some
reason. I don't believe I ever made
that hole in less than eight in my life.
Shall we go?" ~
Yes" she replied, lingering for a last
look down across the broad course, the
cool wind tossing the rich dark curls
back from her fine brow and helping to
heiehten the healthful glow upon her
checks. 81 wish we could have gone
around again. 1t seems pity to waste
even a minute of such delightful day
as this
IF we had gone we'd have spoiled
it ALL 1t is best to stop eating while
things still taste good, and it is the
same with golf. To thoroughly enjoy
the game one should stop before get
ting tired out. I'm afraid that dinner
will be spoiled if we don't go now
But I'm sure 1 shouldn't have been
tired if 1 had played till dark. Don't
you think you would have done better
if you had lofted to the green at the
twelfth hole instead of making a run
bushes cost you three strokes. If it
hadn't been for that I couldn't possibly
have made the hole. 1t seemed so fool
ish after you had made such fine
drive. and your brassey couldn't have
been better"
~ see that you're determined to be-
lieve deliberately let you beat me-" he
answered looking back at her where
she stood upon the smooth, level green.
why do you think 1 would play off %
Il don't know she returned, avoid
low, sweet tones, unless thought you
might wish to please me by letting me
win because-because you-oh. dearl
What am / saying? Let US
"Eunicel" he cried, rushing toward
her.
mo, George. no, no, no-you mustn't
not here. But let's never mind the
dinner. There will be so many others
around US there, you Knows E.
Kiser, in Chicago Record-Herald.