cious shyness in the moment she
felt natural and free, without the uncertainty and restraint that had
always troubled her while with him.

"Oh, Billie, that glorious home run!"

"Madge, wasn't that hit a dandy? How I made it is a mystery, but the
bat felt like a feather. I thought of you. Tell me--what did you
think when I hit that ball over the fence?"

"Billie, I'll never, never tell you."

"Yes--please--I want to know. Didn't you think something--nice of me?"

The pink spots in Madge's cheeks widened to crimson flames.

"Billie, are you still--crazy about me? Now, don't come so close.
Can't you behave yourself? And don't break my fingers with you terrible
baseball hands.... Well, when you made that hit I just collapsed
and I said----"

"Say it! Say it!" implored Billie.

She lowered her face and then bravely raised it.

"I said, 'Billie, I could hug you for that!' ... Billie, let me go!
Oh, you mustn't!--please!"

Quite a little while afterward Madge remembered to tell Billie that she
had been seeking her uncle. They met him and Pat Donahue, coming out
of the parlor.

"Where have you been all evening?" demanded Mr. Ellston.

"Shure it looks as if she's signed a new manager," said Pat, his shrewd
eyes twinkling.

The soft glow in Madge's cheeks deepened into tell-tale scarlet; Billie
resembled a schoolboy stricken in guilt.

"Aha! so that's it?" queried her uncle.

"Ellston," said Pat. "Billie's home-run drive today recalled his
notice an' if I don't miss guess it won him another game--the best game
in life."

"By George!" exclaimed Mr. Ellston. "I was afraid it was Carroll!"

He led Madge away and Pat followed with Billie.

"Shure, it was good to see you brace, Billie," said the manager, with a
kindly hand on the young man's arm. "I'm tickled to death. That ten
days' notice doesn't go. See? I've had to shake up the team but your
job is good. I released McReady outright an' traded Carroll to Denver
for a catcher and a fielder. Some of the directors hollered murder,
an' I expect the fans will roar, but I'm running this team, I'll have
harmony among my players. Carroll is a great catcher, but he's a
knocker."

THE WINNING BALL

One day in July our Rochester club, leader in the Eastern League, had
returned to the hotel after winning a double-header from the Syracuse
club. For some occult reason there was to be a lay-off next day and
then on the following another double-hea