Evening star., 1914-04-26
PLOTTING A SPILL FOR DUFF
Continued from page 9


foot!7 says bystander.
Just wait, though" whispers Orrin to me.
But when they both gets to the green
Blank was one stroke to the bad. His caddie
hands him little short-hande club, Blank
squints solemn at the cup, and proceeds to
tap the ball so it rolls within three inches of
the hole. Then he glances at Nichols and
springs that sappy grin of his. Duff only
had short one to go; but he misses and over
runs by yard. Comm back he trimmed it.
"Halved!" chuckles Mr.. Day. Ell bet
Blank gets the next
1t didn't look like he would at the start,
for his drive was still short; but with the
third whacl1 he snugges his ball right up to
the pin SO that he's dead for four, with
Duff still putin And once more Nichols
gets the benefit of that silly grin.
From then on Duff got worse and worse.
First he whaled his drive clear off into a
clump of bushes and had to shoot another
ball. A little later he wasted all his energy
in diggin' up chunk of sod; and fn'lly, a
hole or two afterwards, he plunks one into
a deep ditch in front of a bunker and paws
around after it until he's lost half dozen
strokes.
While Blank, he keeps right on, steady as
a machine, never lettin' out a peep, and un-
reefin' his mouth satisfied and contented
after every lick. 1t was that open-face work
of his that seems to get on Duffs nerve.
First he gets red in the ears, and then the
color spreads to his neck. | see him glarin'
at this unknown and scratchin' his head.
Now and then Nichols gets grip on him
self and makes a whale of a shot; but al
ways, poundin' along behind him, comes the
silent Mr. Blank with the ever-ready grin.
As they finished the first half Duff was four
down and gettin' grouchier every minute,
while the crowd followin' seemed to be en-
joyin' it immense.
T FORGOT what the final result was ex-
actly; but saw Duff tearin' up his card
and grindin' it into the mud. So judged
it want anything he was anxious to save
and frame.
aWell, Day. says 1, "your friend GER
tainly delivered the goods this time. Coin
into the clubhouse with the bunch and in
dulge in few gloats now, expect?'
"No," says he. "I must call my car and
take Blank back. Just look after him for
moment, will you?"n
@Eh?' says |.
And how was | to know? Besides, a lot OF
'en was already crowdin' around Blank,
shakin' his hand and so on; and next thing
l knew they'd towed him off to the cafe,
where the usual ceremonies was started, OF
course. | stood around and watched awhile,
and then went out to see what had become
of Orrin Day, just as he dashes wild out of
the locker room lookin' worried.
where's Blank?" says he.
ooh, he's all right says l. 3He's in there
with the bunch celebratin'. They're tellin'
him he stands a show of winnin' the cup,
and by the look on his face | amt sure that
he doubts it much. He don't seem to mind
hearin' what great golfer he is
"None of EN- ever do snaps Orrin. 1But
must get him out of that. Come on, Nc
Cabe, may need your help
l couldn't see exactly why, but l goes
along. As we butts into the admirin' circle
l notices Duff Nichols sulkin' at table off
in the far corner, but takin' it all in.
"Pardon me for interrupting the festivi-
ties, Gentlemen" says Orrin, takin' Blank
by the arm, @but l promised them at the
sanatorium to return Mr.. Blank immedi
ately after the match
@Wha-a-at!' gasps two or three at once.
"Sanatorium9"
@Dr. Belcher's Institution for the Men
tally Deficient" says Orrin, sniin' expan-
sive at the gawpin' bunch before him. @Poor
Blank here is one of his most interesting
cases. Arrested development, they call it.
Has the mind of a four-yearold child. call
him Blank because that most accurately de-
scribes his condition But, as you have seen,
- l.. i