'As Gold in the Furnace' Part 22

At this time this last consideration had no weight with him. He had various reasons for acting as he had done. One strong one was that he proposed to hold all the threads of the plot in his own hands and manipulate them to his own advantage. He was by no means sure how this evidence of Roy's supposed complicity would be received by the boys.

He felt sure that many would pooh-pooh such a doc.u.ment as worthless.

He did not desire to prove nothing by overstepping the mark in attempting to prove too much.

Suspicious as the letter looked objectively, Garrett was not so stupid as not to know there must be some very good explanation of the words; although unsupported by an explanation they certainly did appear to incriminate the writer, in view of all that had happened since they were penned.

Smithers saw plainly enough that without the letter being produced (confound that Garrett's impudence!) his words would have no weight.

This young man was quite well aware that he bore a very odorous--in fact a malodorous--reputation among even his friends. Many knew of his despicable ingrat.i.tude toward Roy Henning.

Stockley had a plan of his own which he told to neither Smithers nor Garrett, and had adopted a Fabian policy. Thus it happened that Roy Henning was spared the knowledge that one of these boys had in his possession a copy or draft of a letter of his, which he could, had he so wished, use against him and thus cause him more annoyance.

Meanwhile time flew on. The warm weather had come. It was now very pleasant to be out of doors, and, of course, the great question now occupying all interest was that of the prospects of the ball team. It was found to the general satisfaction that there was very good material after all, in spite of the lack of the winter practice.

Harry Gill, a fast friend of Henning, and a great supporter of Rob Jones, was chosen captain and manager. He was a popular boy who could write a pleasing challenge and gain and retain the good will of those teams who even refused to play St. Cuthbert's. To the surprise of all he secured a game with the celebrated Bland.y.k.e team, to be played on the home grounds. This was delightful news for the yard, the more so because it was so unexpected.

The Bland.y.k.es had a.s.sured the St. Cuthbert's boys early in the spring, that they had played them for the last time, not because of any disagreement or because they had been beaten previously, but because their faculty had ruled against the long travel. Yet here was Gill, at the very opening of the season, securing the first great game without hitch or flaw, and on the home grounds.

The boys were jubilant. Their satisfaction was increased when they learned that Gill, by his irresistible charm of manner, had induced Henning to practice with the team. He could not get Roy to promise to play in the match game, but to have him in the practice games was something. Every one admitted that Roy was an exceptionally fine player. Much of the beginning of the undercurrent of talk against him in the previous fall was, it will be remembered, owing to his refusal to have any more to do with sports, and especially with baseball.

How could he now reconcile himself to his father's positive injunction to engage in no sports and yet play practice games? Roy had thought the matter over and had come to a decision.

His father had told him there were to be no sports. This he adhered to scrupulously. His father had said there was to be enough exercise only by which to keep a sound mind in a sound body. Now to him, as to many another healthy, hearty boy, after the long dormant months of winter, there was need of good outdoor exercise. Where could one find it better than in the great game? But was not this sport, in the understanding of his father? Roy thought it was not, that is, practice games were not. With match games it was different. He reasoned that his father knew that he was athletic, that wheeling could not always suffice, and that long walks were a mere winter expedient. He therefore arrived at the eminently satisfactory conclusion that his father did not intend, when he told him to keep a sound mind in a sound body, that he should be altogether excluded from the game which, above all others, was best able to secure that end. Casuists may argue pro and con on the soundness of Roy's conclusion if they will.

We leave it to them.

It is well known that there is nothing in a college so well adapted to the breaking up of animosities and of undesirable alliances and dangerous particular friends.h.i.+ps which lead to no good, as baseball.

The adage, "birds of a feather flock together," is particularly true of boys at school during the winter season. Crowded together in a certain circ.u.mscribed s.p.a.ce of one or two or three halls, according to the excellence of the college equipment, the very best boys are often forced to form acquaintances with those with whom they would otherwise not closely a.s.sociate.

This had been particularly the case this year at St. Cuthbert's, owing to the diversity of opinion as to the question of the ident.i.ty of the undiscovered thief. As we know, many boys were inclined to suspect Roy Henning. Among these were some of the best ball-players. Now Harry Gill, captain and manager, was subst.i.tute pitcher. Stockley was a splendid first baseman, and could pitch well. Smithers, too, although not liked generally by the boys, was too fine a player to be ignored.

Beecham, of course, was on the team, as was Bracebridge. Garrett, so the boys declared, "would have eaten his hat" to have been selected for a place on the first nine. Gill, however, appointed strictly according to merit, and Andrew rose no higher than subst.i.tute for third baseman. That, however, was something in a place like St.

Cuthbert's, because the subst.i.tutes, beside traveling with the team, were always the opposing team in practice games, and during the spring and early summer saw a deal of fine work.

It is an axiom that in order to play good ball, all differences of opinion must be dropped. No team could be enthusiastic for victory with three or four currents of self-interest or animosity thwarting and dampening all efforts and rendering harmonious and united action impossible.

All disagreements had been dropped, or at least hidden away. All were enthusiastic. When Gill announced to the team that Roy Henning had consented to play at all practice games, the percentage of enthusiasm, if it could be measured in that way, rose very high. Now all bickerings and animosities seemed to be forgotten, and they actually were for a time. As far as team work went, there was one heart and one soul. The prospects were indeed bright.

What a splendid player Roy was! He stood there in the pitcher's box, a picture of fine young manhood. His long brown hair blowing over his forehead appeared to get into his eyes at every move. With a graceful leonine backward movement of the head he would toss the hair out of his way. He was never excited. He always had his wits about him. In a critical moment he could be relied upon. He had the habit of keeping a piece of chewing gum in his mouth. To the uninitiated it appeared the most important part of the game for him to keep his jaws in steady, slow motion. Some said it kept him from becoming excited--that the attention required to keep up the regular, slow motion of his molars prevented any other kind of distraction. Be this as it may, he never showed excitement, but was always calm and cool, and not unfrequently at critical moments exasperatingly slow.

And then what an arm he had, and what movement! He seemed merely to put his hand forward and the ball went high, or low, or wherever he willed. He was a great acquisition to the team. The baseball enthusiasts, which is equivalent to saying all the boys, certainly had some excuse for chagrin when, without explanation, he retired from the game the year before.

Who does not love the sight of ball-players on the diamond, especially in the early summer! The bright uniforms, the brighter faces flushed with the joy of living and of antic.i.p.ation! Then the merry shout and laugh! How it makes the blood tingle, and sends the spirit of youth once more through one's veins!

In the last practice game before the match with the Bland.y.k.es the boys in their uniforms, white s.h.i.+rts and blue pants, stockings, and caps, presented a picturesque scene. The kindly sun, as yet not too hot, flushed their cheeks, while the liquid blue above and the fresh tender gra.s.s beneath their feet lent additional zest to their enjoyment. It was the first important practice game the boys had played.

When at length it came to an end all the players cl.u.s.tered around Roy Henning at the home plate, congratulating him on his pitching. Jack Beecham and Ambrose stood a little apart, watching the group.

"Isn't it a pity, Brose, that Roy won't play against the Bland.y.k.es next Tuesday," remarked Jack.

"Indeed it is--a thousand pities. But you may be sure he knows what he is doing."

"Guess he does. But there's a particularly sable individual in the woodpile somewhere! I wonder what it all means?"

"Many beside you have wondered," responded Bracebridge.

"Oh, he must play next week--must, must, we can't do without him! He must play, and that's all there is about it."

"I am afraid he won't though. h.e.l.lo, what's up? Look, here comes Mr.

Shalford. How serious he looks!"

The two boys touched their hats as the prefect approached.

"Have you seen Henning, boys? Ah, there he is!"

The prefect went to the group surrounding their ideal pitcher. They were using all the art persuasive they could command to extort a promise from him to play in the forthcoming match game. It is hard to say how much longer he would have had to withstand their importunities, had they not suddenly ceased upon catching sight of Mr. Shalford.

"Henning, I want you."

Roy disengaged himself from the crowd.

"Here's a telegram for you. The President told me to give it to you at once, and you are to go to him immediately."

Outside of strictly business circles, the arrival of a telegram has always its preliminary terrors. The yellow missive may contain such startling news! The message which Roy's father had sent him was startling enough. It read:

"Ethel is believed to be dying. Come at once. G. H."

Roy went over to where Beecham and Bracebridge were standing. Without a word he placed the telegram in Ambrose's hand. After reading it the three friends at once moved toward the college. The crowd of boys, lately so loud and clamorous, were silent now, in the presence of some unknown calamity.

Roy walked on as if stunned, for a little while scarcely knowing where he was going. Jack and Ambrose, after one sympathetic pressure of his hand, walked with him in silent sympathy.

CHAPTER XX

THE FAIREST LILY

The President was waiting for Henning in his office. The two friends left Roy at the door, and quietly stole out of the corridor into the suns.h.i.+ne, where with subdued voices they discussed the misfortune which was overshadowing their friend.

"I never knew a boy to meet with so many misfortunes in one year as Roy has done," said Beecham.

"It is hard," replied Bracebridge, "but G.o.d knows best. I sometimes think he is being tried, as gold is tried in the furnace, for some great purpose."

Beecham was silent. Such thoughts were just a little above Jack's ordinary plane of thinking. Bracebridge continued:

"What do you say if, during his absence, we make a grand effort to find the thief? What a glorious thing it would be if he could come back cleared of all suspicion!"

Beecham was never patient when the words "suspicion" and "Henning"

were mentioned in the same connection. This time he said something quite rough, and, to tell the truth, quite unlike himself. Ambrose looked up in surprise.