The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-23
By ZANE GREY
Author Of 1.-THE Lone Ranger "Ths
Light Of Western Stars,- Etc.

pIopdDiy, Dut any way some time last
night, Mccall changed the number
on her curtain, and when Nan came
back to number seven of course she
almost got in the wrong berth"
mo wonder the Rube punched
him! | declared. 81 wish we were
safe home. Something1l happen yet
on this trip"
I was faithful to my promise to
Milly, but the secret leaked out
somewhere; perhaps Mac told it, and
before the game that day all the play
ers knew it. The Rube, having re-
covered his good humor, minded it
not in the jeast. He could not have
felt i'll will for any length of time.
Everything seemed to get back into
smooth running order. and the
Honeymoon Trip ,bade fair to wind
up beautifully.
But. somehow or other, and about
something unknown to the rest or
us, the Rube and Nan quarrelled. 1t
was their hrst quarrel Milly and |
tried to patch it up but failed.
We lost the first game to Provi-
dence and won the second. The next
day. Saturday, was the last game
OF the trip, and 1t was the Rube's turn
to pitch. Several times during the
hrSt two days the Rube and Nan
about half made ND their quarrel, only
IN the end to fall deeper into it. Then
the last straw came in foolish move
on the part of wilful Nan. She hap
pened to meet Henderson, her former
admirer, and in fash she took up
her Irritation with him where she had
left off.
Don't go to the game with him,
Man," | pleaded. Its a silly thing
for you to do. OF course you don't
mean anything, except to torment
Whit. But cut it out. The gang will
make him miserable and we'll lose the
game. There's no telling what might
happen"
I'm Supremacy Indifferent to what
happens she replied, with rebel
llous toss OF her black head. Il hope
Whit gets beaten"
She went to the game with Hender-
son and sat in the grandstand, and
the boys spied them out and told the
RUDE. He did not believe it at first,
but finally saw them, looked deeply
hurt and offended, and then grew
angry. But the gong, sounding at that
moment, drew his attention to his
business of the day, to pitch
His work that day reminded me of
the first game he ever pitched for me,
upon which occasion Captain Sears
got the best out of him by making
him angry. For several innings Prov
idence was helpless before his deliv-
cry. Then something happened that
showed me crisis was near A wag
OF fan yelled from the bleachers.
Honeymoon Rube"
This cry was taken up by the de-
lighted fans and it rolled around the
field. But the RUDE pitched on, hard
er than ever Then the knowing
bleacherite who had started the cry
changed it somewhat.
"Nanny's Rube" he yelled.
This. too, went the rounds, and still
the RUDE, though red in the face,
preserved his temper and his pitch
ing control. All would have been we'll
if Bud Wilcr. comedian of the Provi-
dencc team, had not hit upon a way
to rattle Rube.
"Nanny's Coat" he shouted from
the coaching lines. Every Providence
player took it up.
The RUDE was not proof against
that. He yelled so fercely at them,
and glared so furiously. and lowered
so formidably, that they ceased for
the moment Then he let drive with
his fast straight ball and hit the first
Providence batter in the ribs. His
comrades had to help him to the
bench. The Rube hit the next batter
on the leg. and Judging from the
crack of the ball, | fancicd that play
er would walk lame for several days.
The RUDE tried to hit the next bat
ter and sent him to first on balls.
test. with honors about equal between
players stormed and the bleachers
roared. But | would not take the Rube
out and the game went on with the
RUDE forcing in runs.
With the score tie, and three men
on bases one OF the players on the
bench again yelled: "Nanny's Goat"
Straight as a string the RUDE shot
the ball at this fellow and bounded
after it. The crowd rose in an up
roar. The base runners began to
score. | left my bench and ran across
the space, but not in time to catch
the Rube. saw him hit two or three
of the Providence men. Then the po-
licemen got to him, and real fight
brought the big audience into a
stamping melee. Before the RUDE was
collarcd | saw at least four blue-coats
on the grass.
The game broke up. and the crowd
spilled itself in streams over the field.
Excitement ran high. | tried to force
my way into the mass to get at the
RUDE and the officers. but this was I'M
possible. | feared the Rube would he
taken from the officers and treated
with violence, so | waited with the
surging crowd, endeavoring to get
nearer. Soor we were in the street.
and it seemed as If all the stands had
emptied their yelling occupants.
A trolley car came along down the
street. splitting the mass OF people
and driving them back. A dozen po-
licemen .summarily bundled the Rube
upon the rear end OF the car. Some
of these officers boarded the car. and
some remained in the street to beat
off the vcngeful fans.
/ saw some one thrust forward a
frantic young woman. The officers
stopped her, then suddenly helped her
on the car. just as it started. l rec
oenized Nam She gripped the RUDE
with both hands and turned a white,
fearful face upon the angry crowd.
M L Al