We were
all togged out in our golfing bags, and I presume we looked more
like tailor's models, posing for the gallery, than people who were
taking an outing; but Rivers and Miss Bessemer had been regularly
exercising; looked as though they had done their fifteen miles
since morning. They had their old clothes on, and they were dusty
and muddy.
"You would have thought that a young girl such as Miss Bessemer
is--for she's very young--would have been a little embarrassed at
running up against such a spick and span lot as we were. Not a
bit of it; didn't lose her poise for a moment. She bowed to my
sister and to me, as though from the top of a drag, by Jove! and
as though she were fresh from Redfern and Virot. You know a girl
that can manage herself that way is a thoroughbred. She even
remembered to cut little Johnnie Carter here, because Johnnie
forced himself upon her one night at a dance when he was drunk;
didn't she, Johnnie? Johnnie came up to her there, out on the
links, fresh as a daisy, and put out his hand, with, 'Why, how do
you do, Miss Bessemer?' and 'wherever did you come from?' and 'I
haven't seen you in so long'; and she says, 'No, not since our
last dance, I believe, Mr. Carter,' and looked at his hand as
though it was something funny.
"Little Johnnie mumbled and flushed and stammered and backed off;
and it was well that he did, because Rivers had begun to get red
around the wattles. I say the little girl is a thoroughbred, and
my sister wants to give her a dinner as soon as she comes out.
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