would have said. But mark the sequel.
* * * * *
The American Amateur Championship was held that year in Detroit. I had
accompanied my employer there; for, though engaged on this
nerve-wearing contest, he refused to allow his business to be
interfered with. As he had indicated in his schedule, he was busy at
the time cornering wheat; and it was my task to combine the duties of
caddy and secretary. Each day I accompanied him round the links with my
note-book and his bag of clubs, and the progress of his various matches
was somewhat complicated by the arrival of a stream of telegraph-boys
bearing important messages. He would read these between the strokes and
dictate replies to me, never, however, taking more than the five
minutes allowed by the rules for an interval between strokes. I am
inclined to think that it was this that put the finishing touch on his
opponents' discomfiture. It is not soothing for a nervous man to have
the game hung up on the green while his adversary dictates to his caddy
a letter beginning 'Yours of the 11th inst. received and contents
noted. In reply would state----' This sort of thing puts a man off his
game.
I was resting in the lobby of our hotel after a strenuous day's work,
when I found that I was being paged. I answered the summons, and was
informed that a lady wished to see me. Her card bore the name 'Miss
Amelia Merridew.' Amelia! The name seemed familiar. Then I remembered.
Amelia was the name of the girl Vincent Jopp intended to marry, the
fourth of the long line of Mrs. Jopps. I hurried to present myself, and
found a tall, slim girl, who was plainly labouring under a considerable
agitation.
'Miss Merridew?' I said.
'Yes,' she murmured. 'My name will be strange to you.'
'Am I right,' I queried, 'in supposing that you are the lady to whom
Mr. Jopp----'
'I am! I am!' she replied. 'And, oh, what shall I do?'
'Kindly give me particulars,' I said, taking out my pad from force of
habit.
She hesitated a moment, as if afraid to speak.
'You are caddying for Mr. Jopp in the Final tomorrow?' she said at
last.
'I am.'
'Then could you--would you mind--would it be giving you too much
trouble if I asked you to shout 'Boo!' at him when he is making his
stroke, if he looks like winning?'
I was perplexed.
'I don't understand.'
'I see that I must tell you all. I am sure you will treat what I say as
absolutely confidential.'
'Certainly.'
'I am provisionally engaged to Mr. Jopp.'
'Provisionally?'
She gulped.
'Let me tell you my story. Mr. Jopp asked me to marry him, and I would
