Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-07-09

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ball caught him on the side Of the
head. and Hennessey went down like
Il log.
1t was two minutes before he recov-
cred consciousness. twoS minutes of ag-
ony for keene. This finished the last
shred of Kicks nerve.
When the game began again Keene
walked the next mar with four balls
in succession and had thrown two
wide ones to the next batter before
McCluskey Sent Delaney running to
the rescue.
The ~bleachers received the blow in
wondering silence. Rick Keene taken
out of the box for wildness..
Pretty tough luck" said one Of tho
younger pitchers. You had a no hit
game going too"
Keene did not answer.
TOO bad" said McCluskey. IF you
hadn't hit that fellow you'd have been
all right. But l had to do it, Rick"
Keene Slipped along the bench to the
water bucket. took a big drink Of cold
water and squared his shoulders.
Mac" said he. the next time | get
at these fellows I'll be right or
He left the sentence unfinished and
started for the clubhouse. Before he
reached the gate the Gamecocks had
completed their work Of humiliation,
and keene's three presents had turned
into runs at the plate.
Nayt p,or,ipr E-oor, asa
at breakfast, and McCluskey, who
lived at the same hotel, went I'D to
heene's room. Kicks bed had not been
disturbed, and all his belongings had
disappeared from the room. An en-
velope lay on the dresser. 1t was ad-
dressed to McCluskey. and the man.
ager ripped it open with nervous fin
gers. There was little enough of it:
Dear Mac-I've got to go away for
awhile. If there is anything coming to
me take it in part payment of that two
hundred r.. KEENE
McCluskey dropped the sheet of pa
per with a low whistle of Amusement,
Then he picked it up again and spelled
out each word. 1t would not have
surprised him more to have received
such a communication from his wife.
Rick Keene gone? Where? What for?
1t was unbelievable. McCluskey hur-
ried down to the desk.
where's Keenew be asked.
His keys gone," said the clerk.
Isn't he in his room?"
His key was in the door, said Nc
Cluskey. where's his trunk"
Some of the players, lounging about
the lobby and reading the morning pa.
pers. gathered around the la
"Rick's gone" said McCluskey.
Gone" said Fitzpatrick. Mike,
you're crazy"
McCluskey produced the note. At
the same time the hotel porter arrived
with the information hat at Z o'clock
the night before Keene had asked that
his trunk be taken to the storage room,
to be left there until called for. The
man who had taken the trunk was ex-
haustively cross examined.
There was nothin' strange about his
manner that l seen, sir" ran his testi-
nony. He's always quiet like. No,
sir, he didn't say anything else besides
tellin' me to put his trunk in the stor-
age room"
No one had seen Keene leave the no.
tel.
The afternoon papers played the
story" on the front pages. Some bril-
liant i~maginations were loosed upon
the disappearance Of the star pitcher.
The city boiled with excitement, for q
great baseball player is almost as great
a parsonage as a president and twice
as popular.
the Keene case, and then it gradually
died away into the paragraphs headed,
Notes of the Diamond" The affair
remained as much of a mystery as
ever, and among the players from one
end Of the league to the other there
was but n topic of conversation.
The Nonpareils. upset by their be-
reavement, fell into a slump and were
forced to fight hard to win games from
teams which held permanent leases on
second division positions.
+ + = +
II don't know what this country's
coming to-" said Mr.. Obadiah J. Hos
kins. agriculturist. Ten years ago a
man could hire all the hands he want
ed at $50 a month and vittels. Now
you can't git a man for love nor money.
They all want to live in the towns and
s%tarve."
MI. Hoskins resided five miles from
C~enterville, which is ninety miles from
anywhere and 900 miles from some
where.
Father" said Mrs. Hoskins, there's
a mar coming in the front gate. We
don't want to subscribe to nothin'r!'
A tall young man walked up to the
porch and lifted his hat. He wore a
neat brown suit of a pattern and style
strange to Centerville and environs.
II heard you wanted to hire a man."
said the stranger.
you're hearin''s good said Oba-
diah. Have you got the man with
you?"
w.