Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-03-27
honor and fair play was stronger.

loIof ana Ialr play was stronger.
"How can she ask such a thing?"
ne groaned aloud as he sank back in
the only rocking chair his apartment
2f the rooming house afforded. He
lonsed for his pipe, but he was in
raining.
II can't do it," he repeated over and
over. ut wouldn't be honorable or
square; and I simply can't bring my.
self to it. But Hazel can't give
ner 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 Steve's
wish that a 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 a close struggle. Each side scored
q run in the second inning, and Alton,
pushed another across in the fourth.
Clifton evening it up in the fifth. Thus
the score stood a tie at the opening Of
the eighth.
The first Alton man to bat was re-
tired on a pop fly to third.
But his successor hit a clean Texas
Lacquer which landed him on second,
Ee achieved third on a sacrifice
grOunder, knocked between second and
first by the next man at the plate.
Two men were out and another on
third. The Alton catcher advanced to
the batter's box, and after two strikes
and two balls hit one back. Of third
which the Clifton left fielder came uI
Oh, but not fast enough to take it from
the air. He picked it up IN. the bound
and by a quick throw to the plate
forced the Alton base runner to stay
on third; but while this play was being
enacted the Alton catcher reached sec,
ond. .
The Alton pitcher was next to bat.
Here was a chance for him to win his
W game, and the set of his jaw
showed he was determined to do it.
Steve, out in center, watched him anx-
tously as he swung and missed the first
ball.
"Hope he doesn't send it out this
way" Steve muttered, his mind still
troubled by Hazel's request. His wish,
however, bore no fruit, for the Alton
pitcher knocked the ball high in the
air toward center.
Steve, gauging correctly, saw that he
would not have to move more than a
few PAGES from his tracks to catch the
ball. He braced himself and watched
the sphere descend. It seemed as if it
would never get to him. He held out
his hands, cupped for the catch. Some
Of his teammates, displaying a su.
premc confidence in him, already had
left their positions and We're on the
way to the bench.
Hes got it," reared an enthusiast
on the bleachers. "That boy never
misses 'em!"
The ball struck Steve's glove, and at
the same instant he seemed to see Ha-
zel's face rise before him. The sphere
bounded from his hands, and, while he
chased it frantically, two Alton base
runners scored. Steve recovered the
Gall and threw it to second in time to
stop the Alton pitcher, but the tie was
broken, with the score 4 to 2 in favor
of the enemy. The next batter struck
out, and it was Clifton's turn at the
bat.
The last half Of the ninth opened
with the tallies unchanged. The Cliff
ton captain went among his players
pleading with them to "do something
for the old school," And they re.
sponded. The first man up knocked
a sizzling grounder past second and
got to the initial base. The one who
followed duplicated the feat, back Of
first, and succeeded in acquiring o
session of that sack, while his pred
ecessor landed safely on second.
The next man hit one nearly to the
left field fence, and the Alton man
holding down that position scurried
back and nailed it; but each of the
base runners moved up a notch after
the catch. Clifton's prospects were
good, but her stock declined somewhat
when the following batter fouled out.
Steve came to bat. With two men
on bases, two out and two scores need
ed to tie, q more critical period of the
game would have been imagined with
difficulty. His face was pale. he clutch
ed his bat n%ervously, his lips trembled.
He did not even glance at the grand
stand, but simply waited for the pitch
er-HazeIs cousin and the man whose
skyscraper he had missed-to throw
the sphere.
y y d
AS Steve was about to enter an au-
tonobile after the game he heard his
name called and saw Hazel coming to-
ward him. She drew him to one side
and he motioned for the car to leave
hs-S