Batting to Win: A Story of College BaseballChadwick, Lester
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Batting to Win: A Story of College Baseball
Chadwick, Lester
Baseball stories; College sports -- Juvenile fiction
"Yes," assented the victorious second baseman, "Guy was in trouble, sure
enough. I went to Dartwell, and managed to get my cousin to leave the
place, just before the raid. As we went out, however, the police came
in, and Guy and I were caught. He fought the officers, and called out my
name, in asking me to help rescue him. Instead I advised him to submit.
He was taken away, but I easily proved that I had nothing to do with the
gambling, and I was allowed to go. I went to Guy's boarding place, and,
from his sister, got money enough to pay his fine, together with some I
had. In some way my name got in the papers. Guy might have recklessly
given it instead of his own, thinking to keep the knowledge from his
mother.
"My cousin was released the next morning, but he made me promise never
to tell of his scrape. That was what sealed my lips. He promised to
reform, if I kept silent, and I did, though it was hard--terribly hard,"
and Sid looked at Miss Harrison, in whose blue eyes there were traces of
tears.
"As I knew Guy's mother had a weak heart, and that the least shock might
be fatal, I dared not even ask her advice. Clara and I decided to fight
it out alone. She arranged to send me word by a messenger, whenever her
brother went off with his gay companions, and I promised to go and bring
him away, no matter what the hour.
"I did go, many times, to your wonderment, Tom and Phil, and once I had
to cancel a promise I made to take Miss Harrison to an affair. But I
could not break my word. On one occasion Guy, who was not himself,
recklessly came to the college seeking me. He had a bottle of liquor
with him, and I took it away from him, hurrying him back to Dartwell.
But Mr. Zane caught me, and, as I was on my honor to Guy and his sister
to keep silent, I could not explain. I took my punishment, being barred
from the team, and kept still, though it was hard--very hard."
"You were a hero!" exclaimed Mabel Harrison, her blue eyes bright with
admiration.
"Oh, no, hardly that, I guess," answered Sid, but he smiled gratefully.
"Well," he resumed, "so it went on. I dared not tell, for I had given my
word, though I was sorely tempted that day he came for me at the picnic,
and nearly disgraced me. But Guy would not release me, and his sister
pleaded for just a little longer try at saving him, and I consented. I
paid his gambling debts many times, and, often, it left me temporarily
without money.
"Things looked very black, Guy would not heed my requests to stop
gambling, and I did not care what happened. I even went to Bascome's
dinner, thinking to get away from my troubles. Then, when everything
seemed to go by the board, and I had been expelled for being caught
out late, when I had gone one night to get Guy away from reckless
companions, he suddenly reformed. He met some girl, I believe, who had a
hand in it. At any rate he turned over a new leaf, gave up his gambling,
and, what relieved me, confessed everything to his mother.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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