And, so saying, George Parsloe stalked to his ball and found it nestling in the heart of some shrub of which, not being a botanist, I cannot give you the name. It was a close-knit, adhesive shrub, and it twined its tentacles so loving around George Parsloe’s niblick that he missed his first shot altogether. His second made the ball rock, and his third dislodged it. Playing a full swing with his brassie and being by now a mere cauldron of seething emotions he missed his fourth. His fifth came to within a few inches of Ferdinand’s drive, and he picked it up and hurled it from him into the rough as if it had been something venomous. “Your hole and match,” said George Parsloe, thinly. * * * * * Ferdinand Dibble sat beside the glittering ocean. He had hurried off the course with swift strides the moment George Parsloe had spoken those bitter words. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts. They were mixed thoughts. For a moment joy at the reflection that he had won a tough match came irresistibly to the surface, only to sink again as he remembered that life, whatever its triumphs, could hold nothing for him now that Barbara Medway loved another. “Mr. Dibble!” He looked up. She was standing at his side. He gulped and rose to his feet. “Yes?” There was a silence. “Doesn’t the sun look pretty on the water?” said Barbara. Ferdinand groaned. This was too much. “Leave me,” he said, hollowly. “Go back to your Parsloe, the man with whom you walked in the moonlight beside this same water.” “Well, why shouldn’t I walk with Mr. Parsloe in the moonlight beside this same water?” demanded Barbara, with spirit. “I never said,” replied Ferdinand, for he was a fair man at heart, “that you shouldn’t walk with Mr. Parsloe beside this same water. I simply said you did walk with Mr. Parsloe beside this same water.” “I’ve a perfect right to walk with Mr. Parsloe beside this same water,” persisted Barbara. “He and I are old friends.” Ferdinand groaned again. “Exactly! There you are! As I suspected. Old friends. Played together as children, and what not, I shouldn’t wonder.” “No, we didn’t. I’ve only known him five years. But he is engaged to be married to my greatest chum, so that draws us together.” Ferdinand uttered a strangled cry. “Parsloe engaged to be married!” “Yes. The wedding takes place next month.” “But look here.” Ferdinand’s forehead was wrinkled. He was thinking tensely. “Look here,” said Ferdinand, a close reasoner. “If Parsloe’s engaged to your greatest chum, he can’t be in love with _you_.” “No.” “And you aren’t in love with him?” “No.” “Then, by gad,” said Ferdinand, “how about it?” “What do you mean?” “Will you marry me?” bellowed Ferdinand. “Yes.” “You will?” “Of course I will.” “Darling!” cried Ferdinand. * * * * *