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To Him That Hath

To Him That Hath

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Chapter 1 THE GAME

Word Count: 4665    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

ty-L

d Set. Si

d the court, followed by a

ds on the side lines and proceeded to change courts f

f patience with you," cried a young girl whose

h a slightly bored look

ed he. "I believe you. But

ed me dreadfully,"

me. But how, pray?" Capta

d to be-to allow yourself to be beaten by a-a-" she gla

Frances," exclaim

Better not let Adrien hear you." He turn

aid the girl. "D

des, I can't stand Adrien crowing over me. She is already far too English, don

"But really it is too hot you know for-wha

ou know you are. You don't deserve to win, b

my cousin played for his College at Oxford.

thing I have to live with," said France

t it rather?"

, not to say my unworthy self, won't you humble he

said a young fellow standing

it," coolly replied the girl addressed.

k," laughed the young

said Captain Jack to the young Englishman. "My coun

ured, I should say,"

th a suspicion of a polite sneer

Country!" cried a vo

k, remember," i

s, I see," said the Englishman,

she replied, smil

spective courts. "By the way, who is that Stillwell chap?" he asked in a low voice

right," replied Jack carel

t," said Jack. The Engl

e wrong way

very good. I mus

, "and he has come on the last year or two. In m

on the court it was Still

hen, E

ice that was easily recogni

aid the Englishman, waving a h

f hostility and dislike, the game put up by Captain Jack was of quite a different brand from that he had previously furnished. From the first service he took the offensive and throughout played brilliant, ag

that followed attested

-hole tennis," said the English

ck!" said Captain Jack. "Cou

d thing. Come and be refreshed. Here is the longest, coolest thing in drinks this Club affo

form," said the Englishman gallan

inal," cried F

u are mighty, be merciful! Let it suffice that we appear to have giv

id Adrien, offering her

hed Stillwell, unable in spite of his

a slow drawling voice. "I call it r

the company, crowding about wit

rtsmanlike remark. "What I mean is, Maitland is clearly out of condition. If

an?" said Capta

illwell with easy confidence. "Some other day, when

aptain Jack, looking at Stillwell with hard grey, unsmiling ey

red at the little laugh that went

ough for to-day," said

t really mind. Though I feel you

te satisfied to let it go at that.

t suits you-t

it," said th

aptain Jack, with a curt nod a

t want to play with me to-day," said Stillwell, not relishi

and shortly. "It

with an uneasy laugh, going int

osphere into the Club house, an atmosphe

said a man with iron grey

riend of Stillwell's. "Maitland brought it on, and I hope he gets m

oke in Frances, in a voice coldly prope

not e

you had not," answered the

ound upon the circle of me

d a youngster who had led t

you laughing at, Men

nquired Menzies innocently. "Wel

out an oath and

ce 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.

love" score, leaving his opponent dazed, bewildered with his

" said Adrien to her friend, her

by the arm and dr

must not!" she said in a low tense vo

. "I have had enough tennis for this afternoon. Where is Sidn

f a game, Adrien. Wait at least till this game is

us go to Sidne

ved, so intent was the crowd upon the struggle going on before the

his?" she said. Her voice ca

ost cheering thing I've seen for many moons, Adrien. Eh, what? Oh, I beg pardon

t. I have a call to make on m

ll be over now in a few minu

rested in this-this kind of ten

at the moment. Both of the men glanced at her. Stillwell's face showed swift gratitude. On Jack's fa

?" said Sidney. "You don't want me

e. "Frances will keep you company." She turned to her friend. "Look after

miss this for millions," he continued, making room for Frances beside hi

nce is the only possible th

the victim? I mean,

is simply away above his form! And something of a merchant and financier on his own account, to be quite fair. Making

erstand the situation, I confess. To be quite frank,

ition. Oh, quit talking about him. He had flat feet in the war, I think it was

ng his way around a darkened room in the Amory home, leaped to

me? I hadn't quite got on to the thin

't have said that-about the flat feet, I mean. He

ching her hand for a moment. "My word, that was a hot one! The flat-footed

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 en

f 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 spontaneit

that was tremendous,

Maitland grimly, "else I sho

said Frances. "I am simp

away. You, too, Templeton," he added to Sidney, who was lingerin

" he said. "All right. You know

hero is so good. Really, I am uplifted to qu

Jack gloomily. "I made an ass

y one of your friends

Jack with a bitter little laugh

nces. "Well, you know Adr

street there was a s

aptain Jack! Wait for me! Y

ealised itself into a young girl of about sixteen, bore down on the car. It

you come from? Of course! Get

nd Rupert has been playing all summer and awfully well!

sure that I was," r

you know. You looked as

s very rotten o

a wonderful game. Of course, one doesn

a bit, which is horribly bad form I know, and-well, I wanted to fight rather than play, and

aven't you? And Rupert is really very nice, you know. He has a wonderful car and h

ovely," said Captain Ja

infectious jollity that Captain

cs are concerned, and I do love to drive a car. But, really, Rupert is quit

ve on in silence

ou playing though to

u? I didn't se

need not have given them a thought, they were too deeply engrossed to h

aptain Jack. "A s

o her school. But I don't want to go, you bet. Besides, I don't think Dad can afford it so they can't send me. Anyway, I could have good manners if I wanted to. I could act just like Adrien if I wanted to-I mean, for a while. But that was a real game. I felt sorry for R

tsy,-a regular bull!

egan the girl in conf

Pat. Stick t

o watch. The second game-somehow it made me wis

e right on the target.

t what I want-but I hop

quite right. The tennis court is no place for a fi

ect. "Why not?" The girl's tone was quite severe. "And you don't do a lot of things you used to d

is different. And then, you know, I am busy. A bus

be down at the mills all the time. Look at Ruper

rentl

f whenever

s lik

hy can

t Rupert," said Captain

you do as you used to do? You k

wanted to," said Capta

said the girl, quic

e different, and I suppose I am too. I

Then after a few moments she burst forth: "Oh, don't you remember your hockey team? Oh! oh! oh! I used to sit

t dear. I guess I was-

girl. "I feel the same w

with never a smile. "You were

. And I felt

in Jack's voice

ke that, too-after-after-Herbert-" The girl paused, with her lips quivering. "It was all different-so different. Everything we used to do, I didn't feel like

filling his eyes and choking his throat. Since his return from the war he had without knowledge been yearning for just such an understanding touch as this child with her womanly instinct had given him. He withdrew one hand from th

u, Patsy old girl?" he said wi

with a swift intake of breath. "And after a while

I fear,

would be wonderful! Of course, the old team wouldn't be there-Herbert and Phil and Andy. Why! You are the only one left! And Rupert." She added the name doubtfully. "

ck," said Captain Jack in a low, hurried tone. "And I am

w voice she said, "Always and always, Captain Jack, and evermo

or him in a home once rich in the things that make life worth while, by taking from it his mother, whose rare soul qualities had won and held through her life the love, the passionate, adoring love of her sons, and his twin br

herwise bruised and maimed i

ying on one or other of the five battle fronts of the war. Others had found service in other spheres. Only one was still in his home town, poor old Phil Amory, Frances' brother, half-blind in his darkened room, but to bring anything of his own heart burden to that brave soul seemed sacrilege or worse. True enough

girl whose touch had thrilled his heart and whose voice with its passionate note of loyal and underst

gravelled driveway into the street. And in the months that followed he was to find that the search

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