I -" "How?"

The short query drew him up sharply, chilling his enthusiasm. He paced the kitchen, and then, with a visible effort, turned to his mother.

" I am going to be a baseball player." The murder was out now and he felt relief. His mother sat down with a little gasp. He waited quietly for her refusal, her reproach, her arguments, ready to answer them one by one.

" I won't let you be a ball player."

"Mother, since father left us to shift for ourselves I've been the head of the house. I never disobeyed you before, but now -I've thought it out. I've made my plan."

" Bah. Players are good-for-nothing loafers, rowdies. I won't have my son associate with them."

" They've a bad name, I 'll admit; but, mother, I don't think it's deserved. I 'm not sure, but I believe they're not so black as they are painted. Anyway, even if they are, it won't hurt me. I've an idea that a young man can be square and successful in baseball as in anything else. I 'd rather take any other chance, but there isn't any."

" Oh! the disgrace of it ! Your father would - "

" Now, see here, mother, you're wrong. It's no disgrace. Why, it's a thousand times better than being a bartender, and I'd be that to help along. As for father," his voice grew bitter, "if he'd been the right sort we wouldn't be here in this hovel. You'd have what you were once used to, and I'd be in school."

"You're not strong enough; you would get hurt," protested the mother.

"Why, I'm as strong as a horse. I'm not afraid of being hurt. Ever since last summer when I made such a good record with the factory nine this idea has been growing. They say I'm one of the fastest boys in Akron, and this summer the big nine at the round-house wants me. It's opened my eyes. With a little more experience I could get on a salaried team some where."

" You wouldn't go away? " I'll have to. And, another, I want to go at once."

Mrs. Alloway felt the ground slipping from under her. She opened her lips to make further remonstrance, but Chase kissed them shut, and keeping his arm around her, led her into the sitting-room. A pale youth, slight, like his mother, sat reading by a window.

"Will," said Chase, "I've some news for you. Can you get through school, say in a year or less, and prepare for college? "

The younger boy looked up with a slight smile, such as he was wont to use in warding off Chase's persistent optimism. The smile said sadly that he knew he would never go to college. But something in Chase's straight eye startled him, then his mother's white, agitated face told him this was different. He rose and limped a couple of steps toward them, a warm color suddenly tingeing his cheeks.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

Then Chase told him. In conclusion he said: " Will, there's big money in it.

Three thousand a season is common, five for a great player.