Gilpin observer., 1908-06-18

| not far from where the train had
stopped. l asked the guard what the
trouble was, and he told me that
something was wrong with the engine
and it might be q ouple Of hours be-.
fore we could so ahead.
Just as he finished his explanation
Vincent, who had been looking out of
the window with great interest. sprane
to his feet and shook my shoulder sx
citedly. Look there! Do you see
them?" he cried pointing at the beau
tiful meadows with their winding
stream and gentle slopes.
"See what?" l demanded somewhat
testify. adjusting my glasses and sur
veying the landscape without perceiv-
ing anything of unusual interest.
But Vincent, in fever of haste, was
kneeling and unstrapping his golf
clubs. 'Hooray," he cried, "Terhune,
golf course as I'm a sinner. Como
on. We'll have some sport. The old
trains due to wait an hour, anyhow"
l looked again. and, sure enough, I
saw that at intervals the close-cropped
grass was dotted with little red flags
like sparks Of fire on a carpet Of
green velvet. Vincent has many fads,
but think he is keener on golf than
anything else. l was disgusted with
him. Vincent" l said with decision,
this is nonsense. You can wait till
we get to Cuppstone to play golf. Gra-
ham said there were public links
there"
Yes, and he also said that It was
the rottenest course he ever played
over" said Vincent with some heat
Il made him admit It. And this one
is beauty. A private one. I'll
wager. Look at that turf. 1t is Just
like velvet. my dear fellow-like vel
the wide green slopes.
Now. am fond of the game myself
within reason, and certainly the pros
pect was inviting, for ] was tired Of
the confinement of the carriage and
Vincent was most persuasive / knew
II was foolish thing to do; the train
might not stay SO long as we expected
and we might get left; and yet. as
say, It is hard to refuse Vincent any
thing. I unwillingly permitted him to
get out my clubs.
Whose links are these" I asked
the guard. DO they belong to the
castle?"
"Yessir." replied the guard. They
belong to Castle wyckhoff, the family
seat of Baron Wyckhoff They're all
dead now. though. all 'cept the Honor
| able Agatha, and she lives in the cas-
tie and owns all these acres. sir, all
you can see," and the guard waved
his hand grandiloquently toward the
imposing old pile on the hillside and
the green meadows stretching away
far below it.
"She must have money" I said, re-
fectively. Vincent, meanwhile. was
hunting In his grip for an atrocious
red coat he wears when ne golfs.
Money!" repeated the guard.
Money? Lor' bless you. sir. she as
millions an millions. Her own ia.
ther was Baron Wyckhoff, but e died
when is darter were a little thing. e
never 'ad shilling but 'er stepfather,
that married Baroness wyckhoff two
years later. was H'american and 'ad
more pounds than there is stones in
that castle. sir. an arter is wife died
e 'ad the place built up again. An
now they're both dead. sir, and is
stepdaughter. the Honorable Agatha,
as 'er title is, sir, is heiress OF all his
millions and 'er mothers estate"
"She ought to marry" said still
refectively. and without any personal
meaning.
The guard smiled knowingly.
There's many a one arter her, SIR"
he said; but they don't seem to make
no progress against 'er stepfather's
will"
Her stepfather's will?" repeated,
with interest. do you hear that,
Vincent?"
| But Vincent, his beloved coat at
last found. was half out OF the car
riage. Come on" he shouted, we're
wasting time" And I, perforce, was
obliged to follow him, although the
guards story promised to be very IN
teresting
After we had played the first hole
and I had won Il seldom win a hole
from Vincent. SO was in a good
humor) l told him what the guard had
said. 80 these grounds belong to the
Honorable Agatha" concluded. "and
I have curiosity enough to wish that
we might behold this mysterious lady"
But Vincent wasn't bit excited;
you can never depend upon him when
he's playing golf. "Bosh!" he said:
I'd rather play on her links than see
her. II she saw us she might put US
on. I'll bet she's Grabbed old maid
I'm surprised at you, Terhune. with
your romantic notions. thought you'd
left all that sort Of thing behind you in
London"
I felt myself reddening slightly,
though knew Vincent didn't mean