The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-07-11


Wardle was bowling and Harding in, and
| playing q very SNOWY game. His partner
was safe and cautious player, and he fel;
| the game was in his hands Wardle had sent
him three balls, and he had scored off each.
Wardle lost his temper. He bowled the last
ball of the over with pettish carelessncss.
Harding sent it. flying over the field. II
would fall beyond the boundary and a shout
went up from ;his supporters. But they
shouted too soon< the stranger lcaped UP and
caught it easily. Then it was the Southsand-
ers' turn, afsd they eheered the stranger S
brilliant catch, rs Harding walked back TO
the pavilion unnoticed.
For a time that was the end Of the South
sanders luck. After lunch their rivals
steadily ran up their score, the afternoon was
creeping on, and they lost heart.
Let that chap Smith bowl. - said one, in
pause of the game, while Greenvale bats
man was sostentatiously recovering his strength
after big hit.
Wardle asssnted, and beckoned to Smith.
'Will you lave Is try?" he said hopelessly.
"They shall all be out in three minutes, +"
said the stranger, as he took the ball, and so
they were.
Three balls few at the wicket, and one
after the other the last three of the Greenyale
men walked sadly back TO the pavilion. as
the marker lung the ducks egg" on the
board
No fello' could stop that chaps balls"
they grumb. | when Harding reproaehed
them. The. came like cannon-balls."
Il admit 5 funked mine,' said one 1T
would have sf ashed your hand to pieces"
Wei, it f1esn't matter much they can't
win now" nd Harding. They've not
much more han sn hour to play at the
worst, il will he draw"
The S;outhg5 5,nders were saying much the
same, but THY determined to make good
fight Mr.. smith stood apart; he had re-
ceiyed the Congratulations ON his bowling
calmly.
81 wonderhow he bats, /" said player to
War1Ie
Not mucs, I expect, as he bowls; I'll
send him in It5t''
The play bigan again, and the Southsand-
ers fought ohitinately. Wardle went in fifth
and conld nSt he dislodged, and the score
grew slowly, s,ut steadily, and yet, when the
ninth man wfs bowled it had not reached the
half of the tsreenvale score, and there was
less than an 1)ur before the match must be
ended
"It's you Sow, sir, said Tom WardIe to
the stranger * but it's no gOod-we're bound
to lose" 1
"We shall syin," the stranger said, and he
took ths laSs bat and vent out into the
sunny field.
The sim wfss getting low now il shone Oh
the square block Of old houses across the road
and gilded tham, on the bright blue sea lying
beyond the Fl Id, on the sails of little boats
bringing hont visitors to their tea 1t shone
on the tired Cricketers and threw their purple
shadows, far across the close-cropped grass,
and it snone ;into the eyes of the onlookers
sitting an tie low wall Of the field. But
Dolly was comfortably in the shade, under
the crooked old wall that divided one side
from neigl;boriDg garden she was in the
members sesst, among the best society of
Southsands, shich was having tea from the
little rotnd tAnt
The soft hills shut out the horizon, except
where the sea sparkled. They seemed to
shut out all Shat was ugly, and only left in
the valley sunshine and flowers and the band
of bright sea-.
The stranger walked To- the wicket and
faced Wardle, and the crowd looked at him
with interest
"Who is hep" asked Dolly of cricketer,
who, having done his duty, was enjoying
her smiles.
'sSome chap who offered to play. and War
die took him IN. He'd have taken the devil
himself, ] think, if he thought there was a
chance Of his being useful"
Dolly smiled, but said, chidingly: "Oh,
hush! you should not mention such person.
Poor Mr.. Wardle does look cross, does he
not? / suppose you can't win now?"
The young ericketer shook his head. s'Not
unless we had the PERSONS must not men,
ton own luck, or his help" he said, laugh
ing; and Dolly laughed too Mr.. Smith,
standing at the wickets, looking round,
though, surely, he could not hear, and his
eyes met Dolly's across the sunny field
{" oh, what horrid man!' she cried, with
a sudden shudder. His eyes are like lost
soul's.''
Her companion laughed at her, and fetched
her some tea, and they forgot the strangers
curious eyes.
Before Mr. Smith began he looked at War
lle ''You shall win," he said. ''But re-
member our bargain
Wardle stared What did the man mean ?
Then, as he gazed into the strangers face, he
and knew what he had DONE
He tried to drop his bat and rush away, any,
where, where he could hide forever. But
hose awful eyes held him and burnt into his
leart.
''Are you ready ?" said the bowler cheer
ully.
Yes said Mr. Smith
And then began such play as no one on the |
ield had ever seen, The old men muttered |
hat even in their time no man played as this |
nan did. No one spoke, rs they gazed on |
he tall. lean man and his bat flashing out at /
he ball.
Now the ball fell over the boundary wall |
low far out over the sea- now it slipped |
Trough the fielder's hands and rushed again |
o the iurtherest corner of the field Once a |
nan caught it high up, but dropped it almost |
s it touched his hand, which tingled and |
urnt, and afterwards he saw round, red |
mark on his palm, like an old burn.
The score ran up; there were 10 minutes,
1ore to play, and few more such hits would
ave the match.
Spare mel" gasped Wardle, but only the
tranger heard.
''It was your WISH" he answered, and the
lay grew more brilliant
The felders We're painting, every muscle
trained but, unconscious of fatigue they
hought of nothing, saw nothing, but the
ark stranger. There was silence over the
eld but for the crash of the ball on the bats
nd the dropping of the metal figures as the
core was changed ON the board.
Five minutes more, and still some runs
we're wanting; two minutes the ball whizzed
Trough the air; one minute.
Have mercy?" whispered Wardle. LET
ne save my soul! !"
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