He stopped as he spoke, and looked across the park towards the moorlands that were dimly visible in the light of the moon. As they stopped, Mr. Castlemaine and Signor Ricordo came up.
"I am enjoying your wonderful scenery, Mr. Castlemaine," said Sprague.
"Yes, it is very fine. You can almost see the golf links from here."
"Ah, don't talk of them," said Sprague, with a laugh. "I thought I could play a decent game, but Signor Ricordo has beaten me so badly to-day that I feel humiliated. I thought I should find him an easy opponent, too. He told me he was only a beginner."
"You may have better luck next time," said Mr. Castlemaine.
"If Signor Ricordo thinks I am worthy to be his opponent for another game," responded Sprague.
"Oh yes," replied Ricordo, "our play is not played out yet. We will play it to the bitter end."
He laughed quietly as he spoke, but Olive thought she detected something sinister in it.
"I hope there will be nothing bitter in it," said Sprague. "For my own part I think golf is the most friendly and sociable game in the world."
"Ah, but as I told you, I am an Eastern," said Ricordo; "and to us all games are serious. But we will play it, signore, we will play the game out."