MURILLO'S FAREWELL.
In the meantime at least twenty boys from the academy had gathered to
watch the game.
Gregory Carker appeared, escorting Inza, Elsie, Winnie Badger, Teresa
Gallup, Mrs. Morton, and Juanita Garcia.
"Now we've got to play real baseball, fellows," laughed Frank, as Carker
escorted the ladies into the stand, where they took the most convenient
seats. "The girls will be ashamed of us if we continue this monkeying.
Start it up, Hodge. You're the first batter."
Bart Hodge stepped out, picked out one of Sparkfair's curves and smashed
a hot grounder at Bubbs, who gathered the ball up cleanly and whipped it
across to Brooks.
"Out at first!" announced Kilgore.
"Oh, Bart! Bart!" cried Elsie laughingly. "Can't you do better than
that?"
He shook his head as he walked back to the bench.
"Your turn next, Mulloy," said Frank.
Sparkfair seemed to be in good trim, for he whipped over a couple of
benders which fooled Barney, who missed them both.
"Vait till der pat gets holdt uf me," muttered Dunnerwurst. "Der ball
nefer coot hit dot Irishman."
Barney struck out.
"Don'd some more fun make uf me," advised Hans.
There was a hush as Frank Merriwell picked up a bat and stepped into the
box.
"Now something vill see you," observed Dunnerwurst, in a low tone. "Der
ball vill hit him a mile."
Sparkfair did his best to deceive Merry, but finally put one over, and
Frank drove it far into the field.
Hiram Bemis covered ground rapidly as he raced for the ball, but no one
fancied he could catch it. Making a final desperate spurt, Hi leaped
into the air and pulled the globule down.
It was the third out, and Merry's team had not scored.
"I'm sorry for you, Mr. Merriwell," laughed Sparkfair, "but we can't
afford to let you have this game now. It would be simply awful after
getting seven runs in the first inning."
"The game is young," reminded Frank.
Having escorted the ladies to seats, Gregory Carker deliberately placed
himself at the side of Juanita Garcia.
"Oh, Greg," called Madge Morton, "come here. I have something to show
you."
"Excuse me just now," he answered, "I'll come directly. The senyorita is
telling me something."
Then he whispered to Juanita:
"Tell me something quick."
"Why do you not go, senyor?" she asked.
"I prefer to remain here."
"But you weel have to go."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, I'll have to be polite, but I shall return."
"She weel not let you."
At this moment Mrs. Morton rose and changed her seat, placing herself at
Carker's side as she laughingly observed:
"Don't let me interrupt you. When the senyorita has finished I will take
a little of your time--just a little."
Juanita flashed her a look.
"I am sure Senyor Carkaire weel geeve you the time now," she said. "Eet
ees not important what I have to say."
Madge had a delicate gold chain about her neck, and to the end of this
chain was attached a small locket. This locket she now displayed, asking
Carker if he remembered it.
"I think I do," he answered.
"I should think you would!" she laughed. "You gave it to me. Don't you
think it a pretty little locket, senyorita?"
"Veree," answered Juanita.
"Yes," said Madge, with a sigh, "Gregory gave me this little trinket.
He gave me something else. Let's see if I can open it."
She succeeded in opening the locket, and again held it up before Carker.
"See," she went on, "it's your picture, Greg--your picture and mine.
I've worn this locket every day since you gave it to me."
"Oo!" murmured Juanita, with just the least touch of malice. "Deed you
show eet to your husband, senyora?"
Mrs. Morton shrugged her shoulders and lowered the corners of her mouth.
"He saw it," she replied. "We had more than one little disagreement over
it. He threatened to take it away from me."
Carker was decidedly uncomfortable. Glancing toward Juanita, he observed
that her cheeks were flushed and she seemed decidedly disturbed.
"It was rather a piece of folly on my part," he said. "You know a man
gets foolish at times, Mrs. Morton."
"Oh, Mrs. Morton!" exclaimed Madge. "How formal you are, Gregory! You
were not nearly so formal yesterday. You were not nearly so formal when
I met you alone."
Her eyes were on Juanita as she uttered these words. She saw the girl
bite her lip.
"Eet ees a veree strange game thees baseball," said Juanita, turning to
Teresa. "Do you understand eet?"
"Never mind her," said Madge Morton, pulling at Carker's sleeve. "Why do
you pay her so much attention?"
"Do you wish to know?" he asked, in a low tone. "Then I'll tell you. I'm
in love with her."
The woman looked at him with incredulous eyes, then threw back her head
and laughed.
"More of your folly, Greg," she said. "You always were a silly chap. In
love with that girl? Don't be foolish, my boy. She's nothing but a kid."
"I don't like that word kid."
"Oh, I suppose you think it very unladylike to use such slang. Children
like this girl are amusing, but only unsophisticated boys and doddering
old men fall in love with them. You're neither, Greg Carker."
"No, I'm neither. I'm old enough to know my own mind."
"I don't think you do. You're bewitched by her eyes and her way of
talking. Her dialect sounds rather cute to you. Don't be foolish, Greg."
"Mrs. Morton, I tried to make you understand yesterday. There was a time
when I believed I cared a great deal for you. That's all over now. You
chose your own course, and you have no one save yourself to blame
because there is now in my heart not the least spark of anything like
love for you."
"You may think there's no spark, but I believe the embers are still
smoldering and I propose to fan them into a flame."
"Evidently you don't understand men, Mrs. Morton. I don't think a woman
ever yet caught a man by telling him what she proposed to do. It's a
man's nature to pursue. He loves the chase. Let's watch this baseball
game."
With the greatest difficulty, she repressed her annoyance and anger.
The game was progressing, and with Frank Merriwell in the box it became
decidedly interesting. The second inning passed with neither side
securing a score.
At the opening of the third inning Jose Murillo appeared on the field,
attired in a fresh suit and looking cool and dapper. He carried a light
cane and wore a straw hat. Glancing around, he discovered the ladies in
the stand, lifted his hat, made a graceful bow, and showed his teeth in
a smile.
To the astonishment of every one, the Mexican entered the stand and
approached the party. Juanita Garcia was agitated and frightened.
Seizing Carker's arm, she whispered:
"Don't let heem come near me!"
"I'll look out for him," promised Greg.
Murillo bowed low before them.
"I beg pardon for thees eentrusion," he murmured. "Eet happens that I
know Senyora Gallup and Senyorita Garcia. I am a man of impulse. I do
manee theengs I afterward regret. I presume Senyorita Garcia has been
annoyed by me, and now I weesh to ask her pardon. I have taken the time
to considaire. I have thought eet all ovaire. Eet ees no use. When a
girl een thees country decides that she weel not have anytheeng
whatevaire to do with a man, he may as well gif eet up. Eet ees my
decision to geeve eet up. I am going back to Mexico. I shall leave
to-morrow. I have come to bid Senyorita Garcia _adios_."
"I don't beleef heem! I don't beleef heem!" whispered Juanita, cowering
close to Carker's side. "He ees lying!"
"I think you have decided wisely, Murillo," said Greg. "If I were in
your place, I'd git. In fact, unless you do git, I've decided to swear
out a warrant for your arrest. I've decided to make complaint against
you for attacking me with a deadly weapon."
Jose made a gentle gesture with his hand.
"Some day in the future perhaps we weel settell that, Senyor Carkaire,"
he said. "Save yourself the trouble to swear out the warrant. I shall
go."
With another sweeping bow, he turned and left the stand.
"Oh, I don't like this game at all!" exclaimed Mrs. Morton. "I never did
like baseball. I think I'll go to the house."
She likewise left the stand.