here had been so many things to talk about that

t was anywhere near so late as that. I'll have

l be here today?"

d in his telegram was that he was coming on. But it's possible for him to get here this afternoo

with us while he's in

n't let Mabel's brother go to a

ended no

," he said, as he rose from the table

things?" a

ning and he promised to come over and take a film of my curve ball in a day or two. Professor Crabbe is as hard to move as the rock of Gibraltar, but I guess he'

I receive notice to start for the training camp. A good deal depends on f

to hear you talk of going away. I grud

sed her. "It'll be some time before I have to go an

h he trod on air. The atmosphere was crisp and bracing, his blood coursed strongly

ing of the season, but he had done just enough work to keep him in superb physical condition and hold the flesh down. There was scarcely an ounce of superfluous flesh upon his bones and he felt as though he could go in the b

nd of course the first thing he did was to tell them

w York

y for

to old Riv

the pennant

ok-in at the Worl

m and hearty congratulations an

e laughingly protested. "I need

han you do yet. I suppose I'll get a contract to sign in a day or two, and perhaps there'll be something about it in the New York papers when they get here t

imed Tom Davis. "I'll bet you'll take your

You know how it was with Markwith, the 'eleven thousand dollar beauty.' McRae kept him on the bench for nearly two years, scarcely using him at all, but giving him a chance t

Markwith ever dared to be. Besides Markwith came from a minor league while y

ght, right off the reel, and that's some little record, let me tell you. But I surely am going to do my best, not only on my accoun

ted that Joe was in fine fettle. All his curves worked finely, and there wa

got to stop at Brigg's store to get a couple of bamboo poles, and then I have to go down to the station to meet a friend whom I

ilroad station, to await the possible coming of Reggie. He was eager to find out all the meaning of the queer mess

s the train was late, and it was fully an hour after i

e made his way straight toward this, knowing that Reggie, who

ed his trip when he caught sight of that young man coming leisurely from the Pullman. If he had not seen the face he would have had a mora

tion in classing him as a "lightweight." But he had many qualities that redeemed his foppishness, chief among which, in Joe's estimation, was that he wa

uld have described as "darling," his clothes were a suit of English tweeds

o see you, don't you know. It was no end good of you to come down

have been rather cut up when you sent that telegram and forgot to tell me the train you wer

ve brought Mabel along with me just for the trip. She's awfully anxious to see your si

el since the last time she was here. But give me your check, old man, and I'll attend to

d to be overruled by Joe. The latter tossed the check to the station hackman with instructions to get Reggie's val

to Riverside just then. There would be plenty of time for that when

" said Reggie, as he turned

were here. That was a blizzard for fair. Remember how we were all upset in the

hed Reggie. "We certainly had

ays anxious to bring the conversation round to Mabel. "Where lots of girls would

I recall how she held the horses' heads while

cious to Reggie if the latter had not been so wrapped up in his own affairs that

e, whatever it was, sat heavily on him. He relapsed

ring the meal that followed-a meal into which Mrs. Matson had put all her housewifely skill becau

change in Joe's fortunes, and congratulat

no kick coming on the part of McRae," he prophesied. "In that last g

ted carelessness, "your sister wa

since then," answered the unsuspecting Reggie. "Mabel always did like to see

l had developed such an increased interest in baseball, but the presence of Regg

for baseball news," commented Reggie. "The newspapers will play up the deal for all that

e. "It'll make the public expect too much, and the disa

ere isn't a better aim than yours in the league, and the whol

her music for her and made himself agreeable to Mrs. Matson. But all felt that Reggie had a revelation to make to Joe, and

grate and they drew up their easy chairs b

ile, "tell me the sad story of your life. Go