Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-02
use? II would be sine lost.

use: 1t would be time lost"
Paddock's friend insisted. ard Cour-
/ tenay was invited to show what be
could do. He accepted the invitation
What he did on the diamond was kept
/ a secret But on the day of rhe game
when the Ringold team was walking
out on TO the oval BERTHE. conspicuous
In a crimson silk handkerchief around
his neck, was among them Wilkins
remarked him with unconeealed as
constituent.
Great Scotti" he exclaimed. ''Is
that all they could do In making up
their deficiency? We've got them
sure"
The game opened with inconspicuous
play on the part of the Ringold team.
which had the inning. till it came
Courtenay's turn at the bat. The
first ball sent him he knocked straight
up In the air, dropped the bat and
walked leisurely around the bases.
Every man of the opposing team stood
looking up for the ball to come down,
but either it did not come down or If
1t did it landed in some other place.
Courtenay completed his walk, and
every one looked mystihed. Some
maintained that the ball had gone
far out Of bounds, but the majority
declared that it had gone up in a
straight line and should have fallen
on the plate.
After ten minutes spent in hunting
all over the field for it the hit was
declared foul. The next ball received
by Courtenay he sent diagonally into
the corner Of the fence inclosing the
field and again began his walk around
the bases, completing it before the ball
was found.
During the game Captain Paddock
put the substitute into various posi-
tons. and he did as well in one as in
another. He would catch ball wheth-
er 1t came down in a curve or whether
it was sent from the bat IN line par
allel to the ground. When he pitched
the batter never touched the ball.
When behind the batter no pitcher
could give a ball that he could not
catch He declined TO use a body
protector; indeed, there seemed no
need for one, since he could catch any
ball.
When the game was over the Rim
Colds had scored largely. while. the
Resigns had made but three or four
runS Courtenay had carried the game
on his shoulders. and that without any
apparent effort. He had made but
few runs himself, and then it seemed
that he had been shot out Of gun.
The Ringolds wanted to take him up
on their shoulders and carry him
around the oval but he protested so
firmly that they desisted.
Courtenay was last seen, with the
others. walking toward the dressing
rooms. No one could say that he had
seen him there or seen him leave
there. Some thought that he had tax
en- a train that passed about the time
the game was over and gone to his
home, wherever that was. Neverthe-
less the fact remains that without
word of farewell to any One he left
the oval and the town.
Months afterward Kate Hathaway
met a student of - university. to
whom she told the story Of Albert
Courtenay.
"oh. I know who that isl He's Al
Crichton."
'And who is Ad Crichton?"
$50 called from the Admirable erich
ton who lived in the sixteenth cen
fury. He knew everything. beat every
one at any sort Of exercise and spoke
ten different languages. Courtenay is
his counterpart He's a queer duck.
Hes the wonder Of our college"
Kate married Charlie wilkins.