“Oh, say, Dick,” he pleaded, “I was mad—I didn’t mean it. Don’t put me out of the game—my girl is in the stand.”
“You must have been watching her instead of the ball,” snapped Haxton, too furious to relent.
Baldwin sprang to his feet, as if to strike the manager, and at that instant little Katsura, with a catlike move, seized his arm, gave it a quick twist, and Baldwin, half sobbing with pain, sank down, whimpering and holding his arm.
Suddenly he turned upon Larry Kirkland, cursing and half sobbing.
“You did this,” he said. “It’s all your fault. You’ve been trying to make trouble for me ever since you came here—but I’ll get even with you—I’ll”——
Larry had leaped to his feet, but Winans dragged him back, and Baldwin, still swearing and threatening, left the field.
During all the scene Larry Kirkland had not spoken a word. Indeed, Baldwin’s frantic outburst had been so unexpected that none of the players had recovered from their astonishment sufficiently to join the dispute. Larry turned to the coach.
“I’m sorry this happened, Mr. Haxton,” he said. “I tried to make the play”——
“I know it,” snapped Haxton. “Cartright, you get up there and try to get those two runs back.” He glanced along the bench a moment. “Trumbull,” he snapped, “you’ll hit for Arksall. We’ve got to get those runs back.”
But although they rallied and strove desperately to overcome the disadvantage, they were beaten, 3 to 2.