Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-23
V.-BEHIND THE MASK

but his face went white as he un
/ folded the yellow sheet-dead white
and hard as marble. every stern line
! hccentuated by the twilight in the
/ room. DAILY felt. rather than under
stood. that here was the answer Il
the whole mystery He read It In the
white face. set to receive blow. As
o'Higgins peered at the paper. DAILY
saw the hard lines warer and melt
and the next thing he knew O'Hig
gins was shaking him by the shoulder
and thrusting the telegram into bis
hands. . q
Look at THAR. the umpire cried
what do care for the job? Read
THAR
This Is what Daily read:
Cornelius o'Higsins. Umpire.
Polo Grounds. New York:
Operation wonderful success. Chicago
specialist says no danger. and Connie will
he walking by the end OF the year. Thank
God! MARY.
DAILY looked from the paper to o Zig
gins face.
"Connle." said the president curl.
ously. why. who's Conner
My little GIRL said the umpire.
Twelve years old. Lame. She's been
sick long time didn't expect to
raise her. There was just the one
chance. This operation. That was why
] asked for the time of. She might
not have come out all right-and
thought ought to be there"
"Rut You didn't tell met, said DAILY.
Il tried to- said the umpire stl61y.
"You didn't let me-
Then he went on buttoning his col
lar.
"But I'm going home now" ne said.
The president OF the league carefully
folded the telegram. stood for few
seconds. wondering what he should
say. took out his watch. then ripped
out sudden order:
Sure you're going home. You've
just got time to get that fast night
train on the PENNSYLVANIA. You stay
until you know that everything is all
right. then report by wire, and III as.
sign you to duty"
O'Higgins dropped his madeup neck
tie to the floor.
''T'hen it isn't all OFF, he said. 81
stay?"
You bet-your-lifer' said the pres
ldent Of the league.
The story never got into the papers,
though a number of good reporters
tried to sweat It out of the president.
There were many wild surmises about
the 0'Higgins case. and some or the
young unpires preened themselves for
Cons job. They were very much dis
couraged when the old man came back
ar the end of two weeks as fresh as
green paint and apparently as good as
ever. and the first ball player to pre-
sumo upon the late leniency OF Umpire
o'Hlggins took three days suspension
and howled for three months. Yes. ne
was the old O'Higgins. all right. and
so as long us ne stayed in
the game.
0Higgins never explained matters
which was like him-and neither ala
the president. though be realized that
no was wasting n very fine newspaper
story and told the secretary so.
Mrs O'Higgins was woman. so she
understood why the president of the
league sent her an elaborate silver tea
set at Christmas time O'Higgins did |
not understand It he was not a SEN
dmental man.
The president was not In his box
When time was called. He had no
Wish to answer the thousand and one
questions O the reporters, some OF |
vhom were fring them at him in the |
olumns Of the papers Was ii true /
hat he intended to take action on |
)'Higgins' evident collapse: Had he
'een fully Informed Of his work in |
he past three days? Did he know
hat 1t was worse than Eerrigan's?
The president would see for himself
'efore he made up his mind
The game began with Harding be-
ind the bat and O'Higgins on the
use line. The bleacherites booted
nd yelled as the old fellow walked
0 his place. They advised him to see
,t-t.t