The Washington times., 1913-11-15
CHAPTER Ill.
An Error and an Assist.

CHAPTER Ill.
An Error and an Assist.
-HE season justified all Mona's
hopes for the Eagles. Iney
PLAYED wonderful ball. Up and
I'D the ladder they went, and
at the top they perched, Just above
their rivals, the Hornets.
Two games alone interviewed between
the Eagles and the league champion
shin when, one Sunday in the autumn
Mona Fitzgerald invited the whole
team to her Hudson river country place
for the afternoon. The men. Tor the
most part were scattered about the
grounds of the big estate. a few were
Iounging on the broad verandas. Skeets
Marvin. self-appointed humorist of the
team. chanced for the moment to be
talking with Mona herself in the living
room. He was openly downcast over
the fact that the Eagles had lost the
preceding days game, and Mona was
trying to encourage him.
Don't worry, she adjured him;
we're still well in the lead and we are
two games ahead of the Hornets"
81 don't like being so near them" he
retorted gloomily. "They're stingers.''
They will never get the chance to
sting u.s. she laughed.
T don't know" responded Sweets.
They're too near for comfort. Bo-
10 do p1u cS dill
Follow the advice Of our Mental
Science friends she suggested, and
hold the thought of victory"
Il am holding the thought" he
signed. But it's sort of wriggling.'
He caught sight of Punch Reeves
| crossing the veranda toward the living
rooms long windows. and with a lame
| excuse he got out of the way. For it
! was no secret to the Eagles that their
star pitcher was an open and ardent
aslFr7fr af z1,,1~F l-s,- \
that his attentions were apparently not
wholly unacceptable to her.
Indeed, Mona seemed to enjoy
Punch's s society as greatly as she had
learned to detest that OF his brother,
Copley. Since that first day at Sligo
Reeves the slightest notice. beyond
what mere civiiity demanded.
I'm so lucky to find you alone, if
only for minute said Punch as he
came into the room.
Must We talk alone, them" Mona
asked. seeking to steady her voice into
fippancy.
Then I'll leave you to your mono
logue, shall I?'
''Oh. won't you ever give me a
chance?" he pleaded in vexation.
L don't have to- she retorted with
! a nervous laugh. You have such q
way of taking chance for yourself
| Il have 20. can't trust to luck
! Luck and l haven't been on speaking
terms for Years. 1 have to look out
/ for myself
well, that's what every one wants
you to do, isn't it?" she asked signifi-
cantly.
He understood the veiled allusion and
/ answered:
We'll, haven't 1. I haven't fallen off
! the wagon since you-since you asked
me TO- down in Sligo last spring In a
rev weeks now my six weeks will be
up"
It's been long. dry summer. sup
It's been the shortest and happiest
ever knew Different from any other
/ summer in all my life. Never tiIr I
met you did l have any incentive to be
! descent.
Incentive" she cried. seeking to
turn the subject to less dangerous
grounds. Wasn't it incentive enough
for you to know you would get your
share OF your fathers estate by stop
ping drinking for six months?'
II don't care anything about money.
Except for spending it," she sup
plemented.
What else is money for?" he argued,
me to be like old Cop. would you?''
No she said decidedly "I should
not like you to be like him. in any way
at all
Not that Cop isn't all right" Punch
added in very mild defense I'm fact
he has been rather generOus-in his
own grabbed fashion. Though. OF
course it's awfully humiliatlng to have
to run to him for every penny I want
and to listen to his prcsy lectures on
sobr5ety and economy.
!, That was ridiculous will OF your
. fathers" exclaimed Mona. How
could anyone prove you have or haven't
, drank anything in six months?'
That is where Cop comes in. fSv IN,
terms of the will. he is to keep an eve
on me. II he doesn't see me drunk in
six months 7 get my half Of fathers
money"
And he loses the use Of it." she
time in baseball. It is to spy on YOU
oh. I can't bear him
Then let's talk of something pleas
anter. For instance. I brought aIonc
that photograph Of yours. Remember
you promised to write something on il
Here's my fountain pen
Il But" objected Mona. taking the pie
ture and the pen. Il don't know whar
| Cant you please say something en-
: Don't you care at all dear"
: Mona bent her head over the photo
graph and slowly wrCte eleven word,
thereon. Then she handed it back witt
tDe pen 10 juil'Il. lie Sn1tChnu tl,
picture eagerly and read
Come to ne when the six month.
are over and perhaps
That was all. Punch lifted his eyes
dark with disappointment TO Mona
Seeking to mask his chagrin, he man
aged to say:
I'm not wildly enthusiastic about th,
perhaps But it's something"
| But don't come too strongly IN n
she pleaded. You mustn't be too Ger
tain. Because-oh. because Punch. Tn
not -eally sure. myself. Sometimes
feel as though"
She broke off abruptly and turned {,
meet a new guest
why, Mr.. Bohannan!" she exclaimed
as the Eagles manager. with a righ
nonfestal air, entered the room. II
was good Of you 10 come TODAY I wa
afraid you didn't like the idea,
''Oil. ] like every idea returned tn
mana ger, sardon'cally. Pink teas ar
the finest form of training for ba,
|; team. especially at a critical part o
the season like this"
II invited Mr.. Welland. too" went o.