“‘But that’s one of the roads that ain’t open,’ says Ben.  ’And besides, you was going right toward the nasty old railroad that runs into the cramped haunts of men.  You must have got turned round.  Here’—­he pointed out over the golf links—­’it’s off that way that Mother Nature awaits her wayward child.  Miles and miles of her—­all open.  Doesn’t your gypsy soul hear the call?  This way for the hills and glens, thou star-eyed woodling!’ and he gently led Wilfred off over the links, the rest of the men trailing after and making some word racket, believe me.  They was all good conversationalists at the moment.  Doc Martingale was wanting the poet to run into the tennis net again, just for fun, and Jeff Tuttle says make him climb a tree like the monkeys do in their native glades, but Ben says just keep him away from the railroad, that’s all.  Good Mother Nature will attend to the rest.

“The wives by now was huddled round the side of the clubhouse, too scared to talk much, just muttering incoherently and wringing their hands, and Beryl Mae pipes up and says:  ’Oh, perhaps I wronged him after all; perhaps deep down in his heart he was sincere.’

“The moon had come up now and we could see the mob with its victim starting off toward the Canadian Rockies.  Then all at once they began to run, and I knew Wilfred had made another dash for liberty.  Pretty soon they scattered out and seemed to be beating up the shrubbery down by the creek.  And after a bit some of ’em straggled back.  They paid no attention to us ladies, but made for the grillroom.

“‘We lost him in that brush beyond the fifth hole,’ says Alonzo.  ’None of us is any match for him on level ground, but we got some good trackers and we’re guarding the line to keep him headed off from the railroad and into his beloved hills.’

“‘We should hurry back with refreshment for the faithful watchers,’ says Judge Ballard.  ’The fellow will surely try to double back to the railroad.’

“‘Got to keep him away from the cramped haunts of business men,’ says Alonzo brightly.

“‘I wish Clay, my faithful old hound, were still alive,’ says the judge wistfully.

“‘Say, I got a peach of a terrier down to the house right now,’ says Jeff Tuttle, ’but he’s only trained for bear—­I never tried him on poets.’

“‘He might tree him at that,’ says Doc Martingale.

“‘Percy,’ cries his wife, ‘have you forgotten your manhood?’

“‘Yes,’ says Percy.

“‘Darling,’ calls Henrietta, ‘will you listen to reason a moment?’

“‘No,’ says Alonzo.

“‘It’s that creature from Alaska leading them on,’ says Mrs. Judge Ballard—­’that overdressed drunken rowdy!’

“Ben Sutton looked right hurt at this.  He buttoned his coat over his checked vest and says:  ’I take that unkindly, madam—­calling me overdressed.  I selected this suiting with great care.  It ain’t nice to call me overdressed.  I feel it deeply.’