"With the exception of Mrs. Chilvers," I said, and I came very near
making no exceptions, Miss Ross and Miss Dangerfield having left
us--"with the exception of Mrs. Chilvers, I have yet to see the woman
who shows to advantage with a golf regalia. If Miss Harding is beautiful
enough to overcome the handicap which always attaches to the female golf
duffer, she can give Venus odds and beat her handily."

"You will meet a golfing Venus some day," smiled Mrs. Chilvers, willing
that her sex should be attacked so long as she was exempt.

"That's what he will," added Chilvers; "I'm agile, but I slipped."

"The artists who depict the woman golfer as graceful and attractive," I
continued, "must draw from imagination rather than from models. In my
humble opinion a woman shows to better advantage climbing a steep flight
of stairs than in any possible posture in striking a golf ball."

"The ladies--God bless 'em--and keep them off the links!" muttered
Marshall.

"Why, Charlie Marshall!" exclaimed Mrs. Quivers. "I shall see that your
wife hears that!"

"Don't tell her; she'll beat him terribly," warned Chilvers. "Did you
ever hear, Boyd, why our friend Smith is so sour when he sees a lady on
these links?"

Chilvers has told that story on me many times, but Boyd declared he had
not heard it.