, 1918-10-17
Girl
or Game
BY r. RAY BAKER
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)

- $500 ~ ~ thS ROhA' 'bSAO 1N>F~
Mason had to know where he stood
Oh the deck of a sinking submarine
ship or on n flying field preparing to
soar among the clouds in n winged
machine.
If Hazel Norrin said "yes" then it
would be aviation; if she replied mega
lively that meant the plunge. All this
about soaring and %plunging, you must
understand, had to do with Steve's
mental state. The war had not yet
stretched its steel-scaled arm to Amer
ther aero journeys nor ocean voyages,
literally speaking. He was still in Cliff
ton college, a senior, and his favorite
form of combat was baseball.
After being with Hazel once on the
occasion of a theater party early in his
senior year his admiration for her in
creased to a friendship which became
SO warm as the time for graduation ap-
preached that it finally ceased to be
friendship, as far as his feelings were
concerned.
Steve reached the point mentioned
In the first paragraph at the same time
his hand found the point of a picket in
the fence inclosing the garden of her
home. He had met Hazel late that
afternoon by an accident, ostensibly.
She was not supposed to know that he
had fingered a full half-hour near the
millinery store where she worked,
waiting for her to appear so he could
walk ~nonchalantly toward her and be
surprised to meet her.
Steve had no real reason for believ-
Ing that she cared for him. He was
aware that some six or eight students
were reported to have proposed to her
and been rejected during the last three
years, but he was willing to take a
chance IN being the seventh or the
ninth, or even the thirteenth.
Steve knew that his red head and
freckles didn't jibe with her creamy
complexion and black hair, but he was
not to blame for the contrast.
He picked a splinter from the fence,
realized he was more nervous than he
had been at any time since his initia-
ton into Tau Beta Chi, fioundered des-
perately for words, then got a grip
on himself and let it out with:
"Hazel, I'm not going to beat about
the bush. I'm not capable of pouring
out sentimental gush and crawling on
my knees, but 1 want to marry you,
and l hope this is not so sudden that
you can't decide my fate here and
now"
She laughed lightly and placed her
hand over his as it rested on the fence
and replied:
I'm glad you're not capable of sen
tfmental gush,' because I'm rather
tired of it myself. T like the way yor
go about this, without moons or bab
bling brooks and I'll admit I care O
lot for you, but I can't answer now,
Iirst I must have proof that you arc
the kind of fellow 1 would marry and
that you really care as much as you
say. But I am not saying 'no'-just
remember that"
The next day he received a letter
from her. 1t read:
'"pcar Steve-Remembering what
yon told ne yesterday L an giving you
a Glance to prove your affection. To-
morrow Clifton meets Alton for the
stite college baseball championship.
My cousin, VIII Forbes. will pitch for
Alton, and In n letter I just received
he rold me that il means everything
for him to win the game, rs he ex-
poets to try for a professional league.
Here's your chance to prove that
you love me. If the opportunity Of
fers to miss n ball or strike out at a
critical point of the game and you can
help Alton to win you surely can prove
beyond doubt that you care as you say
you do"
The letter stunned poor Steve. with
his heart eating itself out for Hazel
and the rest of him all wrapped up In
the national game. Steve would ra-
Their play baseball than anything else in
the world except have Hazel for u
wife. Then, too, his love for his alma
mater was strong, and his regard for
honor md fair play was stronger.
"How can she nsk such Il thing?"
he gronned aloud ms he sank back in
the only rocking chair his apartment
of the rooming house afforded. He
longcd for his pipe, but he was in
training.
81 can't do It," he repeated over and
over. at wouldn't be honorable or
square; and I simply can't bring my
self to it. But HAZEL can't give
her up. She means too much to me
even If she does ask impossible-al-
most impossible-things."
The day of the game turned Out
bright and clear in spite of Stoves
wish that n deluge might visit the dia'
mond. He saw her in the grand stand
as he logged out to center field for
practice, and tipped his cap in answer
to her jaunty wave of the hand.
The contest started with prospects
of q close struggle. Each side scored
n iun in the second inning, and Alton
pushed another across in the fourth.
Clifton evening 1t up in the fifth. Thus
| khn ooArn stood N tfn ne Tho Ananfn1 ~