THE BOYDEN SERVE

New Zealand Tablet, 15 May 1913, Page 7

THE BOYDEN SERVE

‘ I’m sorry, dear, but I don’t see my way to it/' said Mr. Lane, shaking his head regretfully. His iron health had been failing. Instead of going to his office each day, he was obliged to sit at home. His successful business had gone entirely into his partner’s hands; nothing much was left to him except his family estate, which was not large. He had called Frances into the study after breakfast to tell her something about his affairs. For her it meant that her course at. the art school in the. city was over. She would not be able to return in October and get her diploma in February. She would have no chance to enter Mr. Harrington’s studio, the most coveted privilege of budding artists. Mr. Harrington took each year the two graduates of the school whose work was the best, and Frances had hitherto been a promising candidate. Her father little appreciated the bitterness of her disappointment as she kissed the top of his head and hurried from the room without letting him see her eyes. When she got outside of the door, she sat down on the edge of the piazza and- rocked to and fro in the effort to control her emotions. She would have felt better if she had cried, but she was stoical on principle. Trying to make the best of the situation, she told herself that she needed only fifty dollars to- complete the course, and that as it was now only June, she ought to be able to acquire it somehow before the autumn.

A fat, jolly-looking man about forty-five years" old, -dressed in white flannels, appeared round the corner of the piazza. Good humor shone upon his face. Frances forced a smile; she was always glad to see Cousin Ned. ; He was a bachelor, who lived in New York, but spent his springs and autumns in the old cottage on the Lane place. - ." V '■ '. 'Well, my word!' he exclaimed. 'I thought I was going to see you play in the tennis tournament this morning. All prepared to go down and root for the Lane family!' > Frances remembered what had been of supreme importance that morning, before the interview, with her father. Not even the tennis-racquet, clutched , firmly in her hand, had reminded her. All her enthusiasm for the tournament that was to be the most exciting one of the year-a ■team'-of New England girls • 'f- against a New York team—had departed. She said to herself that she did hot see how she could play. Her eyes were so full of unshed tears'- that they smarted. . She felt that she would not be able to see the ball. ; : 'Whom have you drawn?' Cousin Ned asked. He had perceived that something was wrong, but he turned and smelt' the blossoms of the rambler rose that embowered the pillar near him. ;..?'#%■' ' I don't know. There are five on each side. It's to be finished in one day—-not like an ordinary tournament. Each of us will have only one' match to play, and the team that gets the most points will win. It's all arranged by the team captains. I shan't know whom I'm to play till I get there. I don't even know who's coming.' .\ 'I heard rumors,' said Cousin Ned. ' I heard rumors that they were going to bring Miss Boy den.' ' Miss Boyden ! Well, then, we shan't find it so easy ! Every one's, been saying, Ellen May especially, that the New Yorkers were no good. But Miss Boyden! I thought she was playing abroad. Well, I never!' 'One. of those tennis families. I played Harry Boyden once myself,' said Cousin Ned. He sank comfortably into a big rocking-chair. ' I was a bit lighter in those days, and I really ranked pretty well. I gave him something of a match, if I do say it.' Frances smiled; she had heard this battle referred to before. ' The score wouldn't show what a hard rub it was,' Cousin Ned continued. ' Every point was fought to a finish. ' 'What was the score, Cousin Ned?' ' Why, six-two, six-one, if I remember right,' Cousin Ned replied, somewhat reluctantly. ' But I tell you, half the games were deuce!' A pity you couldn't have beaten him.' Frances had become interested in tennis again. ' I suppose we'd better go along.' ' Come on !' Cousin Ned followed her down the path. I'd have made a good player if I'd had more time for the game. But that Boyden —there was something about his way of playing more than his actual strokes that bothered you. His balls weren't so awfully swiftexcept, of course, his serve. That came with a terrific twist and break. I can remember just how I felt when I first stood and saw it bound off at an angle. Why, I have a mind,' Cousin Ned exclaimed, with a sudden return of Irs former exasperation, ' to . give a good round prize to whoever beats the Boyden girl ! Anything the winner wants, practically, within seventy-five dollars' worth. It would give me real pleasure to make that present. How I should like to see a Boyden outplayed ! Frances drew a deep breath, and then laughed at the preposterousness of thinking . of. herself and Miss J Boyden, the Eastern champion, in the same breath. In a few moments the.-" County." Club appeared before her eyes. The two tennis-courts built near the house were already surrounded with a gaily-dressed crowd. 'A great day,' said Cousin Ned. 'No wind.' It was a great day for tennis, Frances felt. Her cheeks flushed with anticipation. As soon as she entered the dressing-room, where shoes and racquets and clothes of all descriptions littered

the chairs and floors, the girls greeted her with a mourn- ; ful outcry: "3 'Do you know who's come? Miss Boyden !'; - And do.you know what I'm going to ask you said Ellen May impressively, when she could at last make herself heard above the chorus of despair. ' I'm going to ask if you'd mind playing against her. I have a lame wrist, and Katherine isn't on her game. And besides, you can beat any of us ordinarily. But of" course, as for that, no one would have any real chance.; It's only the question of giving her a good match.' Frances, who was almost ten years younger than any of the others, and was regarded by them as a kind of infant prodigy, and by herself as a most incompetent person, replied only with a gasp. There were girls, women rather, in the room who had won laurels in many a match. Although it was true that in everyday play she had beaten them, not one of them had ever succumbed to her in a tournament. It was a difficult thing, tournament play. It took different and more mature qualities. Her first impulse was to .refuse the honor assigned her, but instead she replied - - ' Of course I'll play her, if no one else wi11.' : ....... \ They've brought better players than we , expected,' she said. 'The rest of us may lose. You'll have to do your best. Try to get your own service. You won't be ;able; to do much against the Boyden serve.' :.; 7. > ,'f- y '..-..•■. ' • , 'The Boyden serve!' Frances repeated, with, some wonder. -.--.---. ...■; . . , ' That's the famous serve she learned . from, : her brother.- It's not so good as his, naturally, but ; very few girls can return it.' When they went out on the verandah the -New York girls, who were staying at a country house near by, were alighting from a carriage. There were introductions all round. The crowd was steadily increasing. There was a great buzz and flutter of interest among the spectators and of excitement among the. girls. Two matches were immediately started on the two courts. Frances, whose turn had not yet come, hid herself among the group of strangers. She felt cold to the tips of her fingers. She did not want to have to talk to anybody. Cousin Ned smiled and waved his hand from across the court where he was sitting with friends. But Frances could not return his smile. If he only knew that she was to play Miss Boyden he would not smile so lightly ! And she was .to. play her as soon as the match he was watching came to an end ! She saw Miss Boyden, to whom she had just been introduced, seated on the ground, quite at ease and chatting gaily. She was very pretty and-pink-cheeked. She was broad-shouldered and slim. She wore an embroidered sailor collar, a neat-fitting linen dress, and a black velvet band round her hair. 'lt will be pitiful!' Frances said to herself at one moment glumly, and at the next, I'll = show them The thought of the prize and of Cousin Ned's offer was obliterated from her mind. One desire wholly absorbed herto play her best. The match going on before her was close, but she could . pay no attention to it. When finally it came to an end amid much applause, and Ellen May, purple but triumphant, received congratulations, she felt dazed and stiff of body. She did not even know the score. She realised that on the farther court play had been finished, and then she heard the scorer, an important-looking youth, call her name and Miss Boyden's. Frances felt numb as she got to her feet. Ellen May, hurrying up, grasped her arm. . Peggy Brown has been beaten,' she whispered, ' and we counted on her. It means you must do your best.' " " • \ ,( didn't need that to make me,' said Frances. She was irritable with nervousness. She won the toss, took serve, and immediately won the first three points, although her ears buzzed with excitement.and she was acutely aware of every person looking on.

‘Forty-love!’ cried the scorer. She heard one of the spectators give a low whistle of surprise. She was surprised herself, but for a few moments only. ■

/ Miss Boyden had been confused at first by the . sun, but now. she got her bearings. She took the next :k^five points with ease, and won the game. Frances waited for the Boyden serve. Four times the ball sped over the net with a peculiar curve, and..< bounded off at a sharp angle. Frances could not man-i age to return it. She scored hardly a point, until Ith©? -fifth game, which she captured on her own r:: server Butthe next game ended the set. \ _... .,-•<' V She -wondered how it could be so swiftly over.' She knew that she ought to do better. She looked admiringly at her opponent as she passed her at the net in the exchange of courts. • * .-'""'"' J " Then she caught sight of Cousin Ned, twisting his moustache anxiously. Miss Boyden began to serve. She was smiling as before, pink-cheeked and confident. She served less swiftly. Frances, who knew by this time how to anticipate the bound, returned the Boyden serve out of Miss Boy den's reach. * With that stroke the course of the match was altered. The onlookers, who had begun to chat in restless undertones, now leaned forward with increasing attentiveness and interest. Frances began to tingle with eagerness and hope. She regained command of herself. She began not only - to return Miss Boyden's serves, but to make brilliant shots herself down the lines. It seemed as if she could not miss. She became almost reckless on suddenly discovering her power. Having shown her worst, she could afford to risk something now to show her best. Miss Boyden, taken, by surprise, put forth her best efforts. The score became five all, but after that Frances rushed headlong into the attack, and took the next two games and the set. ■> The spectators applauded long and noisily, but Frances was hardly aware of the applause. She was alive only to the game ; she had never enjoyed anything so much in all her life. It was a moment when it was just good to be a keen-witted, quick-footed, highstrung living being. In the next set Miss Boyden seemed to tire and to go to pieces. Five straight games fell to Frances, and it looked as if the match was almost over. Miss Boyden served the sixth game. Frances won the first point. 'Three points more!' Frances thought. The match will be mine !' Miss Boyden did not give up on the verge of defeat. She served with air her strength. Frances failed to return the ball. ' Fifteen all!' cried the scorer. The next serve went into the corner of the court. Frances sprung for it, tripped and fell! A sudden blackness in. which there were cold white spots struck her in the ace; then the daylight reappeared in a flash, and she realised that she had hurt her ankle. After a moment she struggled to her feet, and limped to her place. Her face was white; the spectators applauded her for her fortitude. Miss Boyden served. 'Thirty-fifteen!' the scorer called. May say to some one on the side-line. Miss Boyden failed to put her next serve in the court, and sent over an easy ball. Frances shot it safely across court. . 'Thirty all!' cried the scorer. The next serve, however, came over swift and sure, and Francis, anchored to her place, could make nothing , of it. Frances concentrated her strength : the next serve came straight to her, and she returned the ball hard and close to the line. Deuce, and another chance! Excitement seemed to shimmer over the court like heat-waves. The next point Frances won after Miss Boyden had failed to place her first hard serve. Frances felt that she could not last much longer ; her ankle was hurting her more and more. But she was now within a point of the match. ■ % •' , J: ;•'■ ; .--" ~-■",.. When Miss Boyden delivered the next serve . she

darted toward the right-hand court, in anticipation of Frances’ characteristic cross-court shot. ■ . ,

Frances had just a moment to appreciate the movement. She shot the ball into Miss Boyden’s left-hand court, and at once a crowd wild with jubilation was surrounding her.

.‘To think that you won over Edith Boyden ! Wonderful, wonderful! You’ll be a champion next Ellen May was exclaiming. • > But Frances, whose ankle was much swollen and throbbing fearfully by the time Cousin Ned appeared for her in the family buggy, was conscious chiefly of the delight of having won the most glorious contest that she had ever been in.

You were. splendid said Cousin Ned, as they drove away. ‘ I’m proud to have that old licking of mine washed out like that. How did you evef handle the Boyden serve? You remember what I told you? Now just think if there isn’t something you’d very much like to have.’

And Frances had no difficulty in replying;