"It is more than I would take, though I thank you for the offer," he said. "I do not doubt that golf is an honourable profession—in fact I know it is—but for reasons which will not interest you I prefer to maintain my amateur standing. It will be a pleasure to play with you, sir, and to help your game if I can, but I would rather not accept money."
"Very well," I said, "I'll find some other way to repay you. Suppose I take the first lesson to-morrow evening?"
"To-morrow evening at half after six o'clock," he said, and we shook hands in parting to bind the agreement.
I had already formed a plan by which I could even matters without the direct passing of money. It strikes me as odd that this farmhand should object to becoming a professional golfer, but it tends to prove the accuracy of my original opinion that he is some college chap, probably of good family, who is at the end of his resources.
We had no sooner started from Bishop's than Miss Lawrence turned her batteries on me.
"You think you are very sly, do you not, Mr. Smith?" she began.
"In what way, Miss Lawrence?"
"You think to steal my golf instructor from me," she declared. "That is just like a man; they are the meanest, most selfish things ever created."
"Listen to me—"
"I did listen to you," declared that young lady with a triumphant laugh. "I did listen to you, and I have sharp ears. You are to have your first exclusive lesson to-morrow evening. I make the discovery that Mr. Wallace knows more of golf than all of you Woodvale boys together, and then you seek to monopolise his skill. That's what he did, girls, and he dare not deny it! What do you think of him?"