al, but also a very foolish fluttering little
moth--herself. It was time enough, however, to be stern with herself
after she had tried him.

"Wasn't that a splendid catch of Crane's today?" she asked.

"A lucky stab! Crane has a habit of running round like an ostrich and
sticking out a hand to catch a ball. It's a grand-stand play. Why, a
good outfielder would have been waiting under that fly."

"Dalgren did fine work in the box, don't you think?"

"Oh, the kid's all right with an old head back of the plate. He's
wild, though, and will never make good in fast company. I won his game
today. He wouldn't have lasted an inning without me. It was dead wrong
for Pat to pitch him. Dalgren simply can't pitch and he hasn't sand
enough to learn."

A hot retort trembled upon Madge Ellston's lips, but she withheld it
and quietly watched Carroll. How complacent he was, how utterly
self-contained!

"And Billie Sheldon--wasn't it good to see him brace? What hitting! .
.. That home run!"

"Sheldon flashed up today. That's the worst of such players. This
talk of his slump is all rot. When he joined the team he made some
lucky hits and the papers lauded him as a comer, but he soon got down
to his real form. Why, to break into a game now and then, to shut his
eyes and hit a couple on the nose--that's not baseball. Pat's given him
ten days' notice, and his release will be a good move for the team.
Sheldon's not fast enough for this league."

"I'm sorry. He seemed so promising," replied Madge. "I liked
Billy--pretty well."

"Yes, that was evident," said Carroll, firing up. "I never could
understand what you saw in him. Why, Sheldon's no good. He----"

Madge turned a white face that silenced Carroll. She excused herself
and returned to the parlor, where she had last seen her uncle. Not
finding him there, she went into the long corridor and met Sheldon,
Dalgren and two more of the players. Madge congratulated the young
pitcher and the other players on their brilliant work; and they, not to
be outdone, gallantly attributed the day's victory to her presence at
the game. Then, without knowing in the least how it came about, she
presently found herself alone with Billy, and they were strolling into
the music-room.

"Madge, did I brace up?"

The girl risked one quick look at him. How boyish he seemed, how
eager! What an altogether different Billie! But was the difference
all in him! Somehow, despite a cons