other day, when you are in shape, eh?" he added,
smiling at Maitland.

"Now if you like, or after the match, or any old time," said Captain
Jack, looking at Stillwell with hard grey, unsmiling eyes. "I understand
you have come up on your game during the war."

Stillwell's face burned a furious red at the little laugh that went
round among Captain Jack's friends.

"Frankly, I have had enough for to-day," said the Englishman to Jack.

"All right, old chap, if you don't really mind. Though I feel you would
certainly take the odd set."

"Not a bit of it, by Jove. I am quite satisfied to let it go at that. We
will have another go some time."

"Any time that suits you--to-morrow, eh?"

"To-morrow be it," said the Englishman.

"Now, then, Stillwell," said Captain Jack, with a curt nod at him.
"Whenever you are ready."

"Oh, come, Maitland. I was only joshing, you know. You don't want
to play with me to-day," said Stillwell, not relishing the look on
Maitland's face. "We can have a set any time."

"No!" said Maitland shortly. "It's now or never."

"Oh, all right," said Stillwell, with an uneasy laugh, going into the
Club house for his racquet.

The proposed match had brought a new atmosphere into the Club house, an
atmosphere of contest with all the fun left out.

"I don't like this at all," said a man with iron grey hair and deeply
tanned face.

"One can't well object, Russell," said a younger man, evidently a friend
of Stillwell's. "Maitland brought it on, and I hope he gets mighty well
trimmed. He is altogether too high and mighty these days."

"Oh, I don't agree with you at all," broke in Frances, in a voice coldly
proper. "You heard what Mr. Stillwell said?"

"Well, not exactly."

"Ah, I might have guessed you had not," answered the young lady, turning
away.

Edwards looked foolishly round upon the circle of men who stood grinning
at him.

"Now will you be good?" said a youngster who had led the laugh at
Edwards' expense.

"What the devil are you laughing at, Menzies?" he asked hotly.

"Why, don't you see the joke?" enquired Menzies innocently. "Well, carry
on! You will to-morrow."

Edwards growled out an oath and took himself off.

Meantime the match was making furious progress, with the fury, it must
be confessed, confined to one side only of the net. Captain Jack was
playing a driving, ruthless game, snatching and employing without mercy
every advantage that he could legitimately claim. He