“I have confidence in you,” she declared. “That is why I made that wager. I have had confidence in you from the moment when I first set eyes on you. Something tells me you are the sort of a man who triumphs. You will win—you must!”
“It would be a great misfortune for me to lose,” confessed Frank; “but you will be forced to bear uncertainty until the very end of the game, as we dare not take the lead too soon.”
Once more declaring her confidence in him, and seeming not to mind the cries of the crowd, she retired from the diamond and the game began.
Following was the line-up of each team:
| CARTERSVILLE. | MERRIES. |
|---|---|
| Grady, cf. | Ready, 3d b. |
| Moran, ss. | Morgan, ss. |
| Johnson, 1st b. | Badger, lf. |
| Madison, rf. | Hodge, c. |
| Tonando, 3d b. | Merriwell, p. |
| Gibson, lf. | Gamp, cf. |
| Hickey, 2d b. | Browning, 1st b. |
| Collins, c. | Rattleton, 2d b. |
| Weaver, p. | Dunnerwurst, rf. |
A yell of delight went up from the crowd as Grady met the first ball pitched and drove out a scorching single.
“We’re off! we’re off!” whooped Gibson, as he capered down to the coaching line back of first. “Keep it going, Moran!”
Moran responded by bunting and attempting to “beat it out.”
On the bunt Grady reached second, but Frank got the ball and threw Moran out at first.
“All right, chillun!” grinned Johnson, the colored player, as he ran out to hit. “Why, we’s gwine to make a hundred right heah.”