the nervous strain was commencing to tell upon some of the men.
Clancy was nursing his players, knowing that one disheartening defeat
might mean a break that would lead to a succession of downfalls. The
more he watched Williams the stronger his conviction that something was
amiss. Williams was not acting naturally and his demeanor when with
the other players was a puzzle to Clancy.

He selected Williams as the pitcher in the first game against the
Maroons with the purpose, being determined to find whether or not the
pitcher was in condition, and he sent Wilcox, his best right-handed
pitcher, out to warm up so as to be ready to rescue Williams at the
first sign of distress.

"What's the matter with Adonis?" inquired Manager Clancy, as his
catcher and principal adviser returned to the bench after the second
inning.

"His curve is breaking slow and low and on the inside corner of the
plate to the right-handers," replied Kennedy. "I can't make him keep
it high and out."

"Make him use his fast one or he'll get Kohinoor killed with one of
those line smashes," ordered Clancy quietly. "Watch him closely, and
if he is loafing, signal me."

The third inning and the fourth reeled away without a score, and in the
first half of the fifth a base on balls, a steal by Norton and a
crashing drive by Pardridge gave the Bears a score and the lead.
Caton, one of the heaviest hitters of the Maroons, started their half
of the inning, and as he stepped into position Kennedy crouched and
signaled. Williams shook his head quickly and pitched a curve that
broke on the inside corner of the plate. Caton drove the ball with
terrific force straight at McCarthy, who managed to knock it down and
hold the batter to one base. The next batter sacrificed, and Ellis, a
right-handed slugger, came to bat. Again Kennedy signaled for a fast
sidearm ball, pitched high, and again Williams shook his head and
curved one over the plate. Ellis struck the ball with one hand and
sent a carroming down to Swanson, who failed in a desperate effort to
throw out the runner. With men on first and third the Bears' first and
third baseman came close to the plate to cut off the runner, while the
shortstop and second baseman remained in position to make a double play
or to catch the runner stealing. Burley, the giant first baseman of
the Maroons, was at bat, a man noted for his ability to hit any ball
pitched close to him. Williams sent a strike whizzing ove