, or took tea by carpet-spread marquees.

Miss Amelia Harringport, seeing Dam with a croquet-mallet in his hand,
observed that she _adored_ croquet. Dam stated in reply that Haddon
Berners was a fearful dog at it, considered there should be a croquet
Blue in fact, and would doubtless be charmed to make up a set with her
and the curate, the Reverend William Williamson Williams (Holy Bill),
and Another. Dam himself was cut off from the bliss of being the
Other--did not know the game at all.

Miss Amelia quickly tired of her croquet with the Haddock, Holy Bill
and the Vicar's Wife's Sister, who looked straitly after Holy Bill on
this and all other occasions. Seeing Dam shepherding a flock of elders
to the beautifully-mown putting-tracks radiating from the central
circle of "holes" for the putting competition, she informed him that
she _adored_ putting, so much so that she wanted lessons from him, the
local amateur golf-champion.

"I just want a little _personal tuition_ from the Champion and I shall
be quite a classy putter," she gurgled.

"I will personally tuit," replied Dam, "and when you are tuited we
will proceed to win the prize."

Carefully posing the maiden aspirant for putting excellence at the end
of the yard-wide velvety strip leading to the green and "hole," Dam
gave his best advice, bade her smite with restraint, and then
proceeded to the "hole" to retrieve the ball for his own turn. Other
couples did "preliminary canters" somewhat similarly on the remaining
spokes of the great wheel of the putting "clock".

The canny and practised Amelia, who had designs upon the handsome
silver prize as well as upon the handsome Damocles, smote straight and
true with admirable judgment, and the ball sped steadily down the
track direct for the "hole," a somewhat large and deep one.

"By Jove! Magnificent!" cried Dam, with quick and generous
appreciation of the really splendid putt. "You'll hole out in one this
time, anyhow." As the slowing ball approached the "hole" he inserted
his hand therein, laughing gaily, to anticipate the ball which with
its last grain of momentum would surely reach it and topple in.

Then the thing happened!

As he put his hand to the grass-encircled goal of the maiden's hopes
and ball, its gloomy depths appeared to move, swirl round, rise up, as
a small green snake uncoiled in haste and darted beneath Dam's
approaching upturned hand, and swiftly undulated across the lawn.

With a shriek t