salary and the same perquisites
received by Kirkaldy."

"And what are these?" asked Wallace, a twinkle in his eye which I had
noticed on several occasions. It was a peculiar combination of
shrewdness, curiosity, and amusement, but one could not take offence at
it. He certainly is an odd fish, and I like him even if I do not
understand him.

"One hundred dollars a month with room and board, and all you can earn
giving lessons," said Carter. "Kirkaldy averages three hundred dollars a
month, and could have made more had he not been lazy."

"That certainly is a tempting chance for one who is getting twenty
dollars a month," observed Wallace, after a long pause. "I like it here,
and will not leave Mr. Bishop without due notice, but if you can obtain
my release and can positively assure me that my amateur standing will
not be impaired I will try to qualify for the position you offer. I
don't mind telling you," he added, and I noticed the same odd twinkle in
his eyes, "that there was a time, and I hope it will recur, when I
thought much of playing the game in a non-professional capacity. That,
however, is amongst ourselves, and if I become your professional I shall
attend strictly to my business."

The following morning I saw Mr. Bishop, who informed me that Wallace had
already related the purport of our visit the preceding evening.

"I'll tell you how I look at it, Jack," the old man said. "He's not an
awful good hired man, but he's willin' and eager to learn, and has the
makings of the best one in the county, but mor'n that he is a real
gentleman, and good company for mother and me, and I hate like the
mischief to lose him. But Lord bless ye, if he can make three hundred
dollars a month teaching you fools how to hit a ball with a stick, why
I ain't got no call to keep him here. That's as much money as I make out
of this whole blamed farm, and I have to work and not play for a livin'.
If Wallace is the man you want, take him, and I won't put a straw in his
way. Only I hope you'll sorter hint to him that we'd take it kindly if
he'd make it a point to drop over here once in a while and take supper
with mother and me, and stay all night, if he'd care to. Will you do
that, Jack?"

I heartily promised I would, and felt as guilty as if I had stolen some
of Bishop's prize sheep. I went down the fields and told Wallace the old
man had consented to release him, and that Kirkaldy would be on hand at
the club to play a trial rou