itching like a schoolboy scared out of his wits.
Henderson followed Nan like a shadow, so that I had no chance to talk
to her. The Rube lost his next game and then another. We were pushed
out of second place.

If we kept up that losing streak a little longer, our hopes for the
pennant were gone. I had begun to despair of the Rube. For some
occult reason he scarcely spoke to me. Nan flirted worse than ever.
It seemed to me she flaunted her conquest of Henderson in poor Whit's
face.

The Providence ball team came to town and promptly signed Henderson and
announced him for Saturday's game. Cairns won the first of the series
and Radbourne lost the second. It was Rube's turn to pitch the
Saturday game and I resolved to make one more effort to put the
love-sick swain in something like his old fettle. So I called upon Nan.

She was surprised to see me, but received me graciously. I fancied her
face was not quite so glowing as usual. I came bluntly out with my
mission. She tried to freeze me but I would not freeze. I was out to
win or lose and not to be lightly laughed aside or coldly denied. I
played to make her angry, knowing the real truth of her feelings would
show under stress.

For once in my life I became a knocker and said some unpleasant
things--albeit they were true--about Henderson. She championed
Henderson royally, and when, as a last card, I compared Whit's fine
record with Henderson's, not only as a ball player, but as a man,
particularly in his reverence for women, she flashed at me:

"What do you know about it? Mr. Henderson asked me to marry him. Can
a man do more to show his respect? Your friend never so much as hinted
such honorable intentions. What's more--he insulted me!" The blaze in
Nan's black eyes softened with a film of tears. She looked hurt. Her
pride had encountered a fall.

"Oh, no, Nan, Whit couldn't insult a lady," I protested.

"Couldn't he? That's all you know about him. You know I--I promised to
kiss him if he beat Hartford that day. So when he came I--I did. Then
the big savage began to rave and he grabbed me up in his arms. He
smothered me; almost crushed the life out of me. He frightened me
terribly. When I got away from him--the monster stood there and coolly
said I belonged to him. I ran out of the room and wouldn't see him any
more. At first I might have forgiven him if he had apologized--said he
was sorry, but never a word. Now I never will forgive h