He had one of his flashes of tact, "I'm afraid," said he modestly, "that I've never fired off a gun in my life." "What ?" cried the Colonel.
"It's true." Colonel Winwood looked at him once more.

"It's not many young men," said he, "who would dare to make such a confession." "But what is the good of lying ?" asked Paul, with the eyes of a cherub.
"None that I know of," replied the Colonel.

He returned to his chair and rested his hand on the back.

"You play golf, anyhow," said he, pointing to the brown canvas bag in the corner.
"Oh, yes," said Paul.
"Any good ?" "Fair to middling." "What's your handicap ?" asked the Colonel, an enthusiastic though inglorious practitioner of the game.
"One," said Paul.
"The deuce it is!" cried the Colonel.

"Mine is fifteen.