Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 608 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

~——- ~— > tl 4 ready made acquaintan *e in the two preceding chapters appeared under different and perhaps more favorable circumstances than hitherto. Richard Scott, captain of the Albany Club, was busy among his men, giving them advice on different points of play, and seeming to be anxious only to vindicate the claim made by Al- bany, that she possessed a base-ball club that could get away with the Diamond Stars of New York without even knowing that they had play- ed ball, Dan Manly, in the uniform of the Albany Club, sat on the i: hah bench, evidently wrap- d in thought. e wasa member of the Al- anys, because this was his old home. He had not played with the club for several years, and even now was only a substitute, with the proba- bility that he would not take any active part in the game. But, he liked to be identified with the club, and was as deeply interested in the day’s contest as if he had not another care in the world. ** Who’s the umpire, Dick?” he asked, as Scott came within cgi. * ‘* Hallo, Dan! hy, how are you? When did you get to town? You're all ready for business, I see,” exclaimed Scott, heartily. ‘I have been so bothered over private business matters that I have not paid such close attention to the match as [ should, and I did not notice who the extra player on the bench was before. I’m very glad to see you.” ** And you, Dick,” returned Dan, no less hear- uly as he shook hands, e cast one swift glance at Scott, and noticed the dark ring around the eyes, and the unnatur- al brightness that burned in them. ‘* Poor Dick! He looks in bad shape,” he commented inwardly. ‘* Well, well; a crooked road is hard traveling, Dick, but if Dan Manly can save you, he’s going to do it, sure as he’s boru!” ‘* Now, then, thar, git ter yer places. We’re hyar to play ball, not to hev discussions,” pro- claimed a harsh voice, and Dan started as he saw who was the umpire. Sam Walker!—Slicker! Slicker was dressed just as he had been the night before, except that he had put a gaudy silk handkerchief around his neck. In his hand he held a box containing an extra ball, in case the one in play should be lost. This was accord- ing to League rules, which, of course, were to govern the match about to be played. ** Good-afternoon!” saluted Dan, as Slicker paused in front of the players’ bench, Slicker turned toward the detective with a start. He had noted him before. ** Why—why—how did you come here?” ‘* Rasily enough. I just walked down from the hotel.” ** But—but—I 0h ade you hed lost some di’- mun’s, you said, and that you’d be doin’ nothin’ else but huntin’ ’em up?’ “Oh, lam on the track of them, and I have no fear but that I shall find them before I leave Albany. I hope you have pardoned me for my rather rude behavior to you and your interest- ing friend, Mr.—what’s his name ?—Barker, You see, I had just discovered my loss, and I was so excited that 1 was disposed to suspect the most unlikely persons.” The young detective said this with so much apparent earnestness, that Slicker’s usual ef- frontery came to his aid at once, and it was with much virtuous indignation that he re- turned: ‘* Yes, that wuzn’t er very nice thing ter do— ter break inter er gentleman’s bedroom at three o’clock in ther mornin’, an’ point a pistol at his head, I’ve killed er man fer less than thet when I wuz on ther plains.” ‘Then I’m lucky to be alive!” A general yell from the impatient audience brought the colloquy to a close, and it pedal been decided that the Diamond Stars shoul take the bat first, the Albanys took their posi- tions in the field. Dick Scott was walking toward the pitcher’s box, when Dan Manly called him back, ‘What is it, Dan?” ‘Come here, I want tospeak to you a mo- ment,” ‘‘ What in thunder is he after, I wonder?” muttered Slicker, who, in the umpire’s position behind the catcher, was looking suspiciously at the detective. ‘‘ Scott don’t know ez he’s ther duck we took ther di’mun’s from. Perhaps ee may be somethin’ in ther wind about em ‘* Dick, J want to pitch this game,” answered Dan, coming straight to the point as his custom was, ee The Pitcher Detective’s Foil. Richard Scott turned pale, and the dark rings around his eyes became awfully distinct in con- trast with his white cheeks. ‘*What for?” ** 1 don’t think that you arein a proper con- dition to pay a Winning game.” “Why” ** That is my opinion, and that is i IT am to play. You are not in good health. You look as if you had been up all night, and if 1 did not know you so well, | should think you had been guilty of some crime.” ‘‘ Well, how long is ther game ter wait?’ thun- dered the umpire at this juncture. ‘‘ Dick, I am going to pitch.” *“No, no; youcannot! I bave a great deal at stake on this game. My—my-— reputation, and—’ ‘*- Your honor,” put in Dan, in a hollow voice, ** Yes—my honor!” ‘‘ But, it will be preserved only by your not playing to-day. I will pitch!” ‘** Now, what’s all this hyar? You two fellers hev been er chinnin’ over hyar long enongh. Dick, git inter ther box. Wecan’t keep ther public er waitin’ no longer,” exhorted Slicker, as he walked over to the two. ‘* Mr, Scott is not able to pitch the game this afternoon,” observed the detective, quietly. ‘He ain’t? Wal, who’s er goin’ ter do it?” sé I am.” “You? Not much you ain’t, my cove! I don’t know nothin’ ’bout you, an’ the Albany Club don’t know nothin’ bout you, Scott was all right ten minutes ago. He’ll hev ter pitch.” ‘‘ As for your not knowing anything about me, that is of no consequence. The Albanys know me well enough as Double-Curve Dan, I intend to pitch this game, Slicker!” ‘But, Dan—” commenced Scott. ‘‘ You heard what I said, Dick. I am doing it for you, and you will understand why after- » wards if you do not already. Be wise now, my boy, while you can.” I object ter this hyar. I’m ther umpire—” “Certainly,” interrupted Dan Manly, ‘and according to League rules, have certain duties to perform. But selecting a pitcher for either side is not one of them. That is for the captain to say, Slicker.” ‘* And what does ther captain say?’ demanded the umpire, scowling significantly at Scott. Before Dick could answer Dan whispered a few words in his ear, that again drove the color from his cheeks. ** No, it can’t be!” he gasped, inarticulately to the others. ‘‘T shall pitch the game, shall [ not?” asked the detective, quietly. ** Yes, if you will.” Scott sunk upon the benca, while Dan walked forward bestowing a careless smile upon Slicker, as he passed him, and stepping np to the catcher, told him in a few words, how best to catch his double-curve balls. ** Play ball!” shouted the umpire. = gang Scott was watching the proomengs mechanically, but his thoughts were evidently not on the game. He had received a shock, and it had been communicated in the few words whispered in his ear by the Pitcher Detective, The New York man at the bat had heard of Double-Curve Dan and his difficult balls, and was prepared for something tough. He gotit. Dan held the ball before his face fora moment, and then, with a graceful slow motion, sent it wabbling toward the bats- man. The ball twisted and turned until half-way to the home-plate; then it flew out to the right un- til three-quarters of the distance had been cov- ered, when it careened to the left, and sped past the batsman into the hands of the catcher. The New Yorker at the bat was an old and wary player, and did not waste his energy on a ball he knew he could not bit, Dan had given him a good ball, but Slicker had “called” it. If he could give the batsman his ‘*‘ base on balls” he was determined to do it. Dan looked in surprise at the umpire, but he was too well-trained a player to raise any ob- jection. He knew that the League rules for- ade any questioning of the actions of the um- pire, and would not be the person to seta bad example, like a poor soldier, ‘High ball!” requested the batsman, and the pitcher zig-zagged one over the home plate, at which the Wow Yorker slashed with all his might but missed it, skillfulas was the stroke, Yells of triumph went up from the spectators, who were naturally largely com of sym- pathizers with the Albavys, and with whom Dan was a prime favorite. ‘One strike!” proclaimed Slicker, with a very bad grace. He dared not ignore an ob- vious fact, Another of Dan’s double-curves brought two strikes, and the now thoroughly excited bats- man spit on his handsand prepared todo or die.” Dan smiled. Hesaw that the New Yorker meant business, and thatif there was any chance at all, be would strike for a home-run. ‘ All right, my lad! Tl see if I can’t puzzle you a little.” Carefully’ he’ poised the ball, and then, with the samé motion that he always used for his double-vurves, he sent the ball straight as an arrow and almost as swift as a cannon ball, to- ward the catcher. The ruse was a good one, but the New Yorker was equal to it. For half the distance he was on the lookout for a double-curve, and bad not quite got over his confusion when the ball reiibal him, Then he struck at it with aJl the strength of his mighty arms. He caught it fairly about eight inches from the end of his bat. There was a thud that could be heard a long way from mm. grounds, the ball went spinning down center- eld. The excitement was intense, as the successful batsman scuttled around the bases, A home run! The center-fielder was running after the ball, which had passed him, high over bis head, but by the time he bad reached it the base runner was safe over the home plate. Dick Scott was the only person in the field who did not seem excited over the really brilliant stroke of the New Yorker, Thougb it was one run for the other side on the very first man, he did not evince either pleasure or dismay. He bad found that Dan Manly was no other than the young man whom he had assisted to rob, and that Dan knew all about the plot to let the Diamond Stars win the game; so he could ouly wait for further developments to bring fresh trouble upon his wretched head, As the reader has by this time surmised, Richard Scott was anything but bad at heart. He had got himself into difficulties by os yg horse-racing, and, to extricate himself, had dropped from foolishness to crime, as many & young sport does. Dan took warning by the result of his one straight ball, and the next player got such a tantalizing delivery that he could make nothing of it. ‘‘Two strikes” had already been called on him, and the ball having gone past the catcher, had dropped into the grand stand, Slicker turned quickly and glanced at some one among the spectators, at the same time tear- ing open the box in his hand and taking out a new ball. He threw it to Dan Manly, who put up his hands tocatch it, Just as he did so, the old ball, hurled with terrific force frum the spectators seats, partly bebind him, struck the pitcher on the shoulder, and sent him to the ground as if he had been shot! 7 CHAPTER IV. AN EARNED RUN. As Dan fell there was a general movement toward him, all the players on the field recog- nizing instinctively that the ball had been thrown at him with evil intentions, But the pitcher was on his feet before any one could reach him, and the next minute he had cleared the board-fence that divided the audi- torium from the grounds, and was making his way straight toward a seat on which sat a very mild-mannered young man with blonde whiskers and weak eyes. The blonde young man had been deeply inter- ested in the game, but he was the last person to. . throw a ball to hurt the pitcher or any one else, He enjoyed athietic sports, but only as an on- looker. It was doubtful whether he had ever had a base-ball in his hand in his life. When he saw Dan Manly coming straight to- ward him, with mischief in his eye, he looked nervously around bim, and appeared to be try- ing to formulate in his mind a suitable apology for being alive. ‘*{—I—” he began, nervously. But, Dan took no notice of him, and the blonde young man saw, to his great relief, that he had not n singled out for Double-Curve Dan’s anger, ‘Now, Barker, I have you!” exclaimed the detective, as he threw himself upon a man, who, sitting doubled up on a bench behind the blonde young man, was trying to avoid observation, As the detective’s bands grasped Barker's throat, Slicker who had followed Dan without the latter seeing him, sprung between the two, ——— eee eee |