CHAPTER XXVII.
MURILLO'S FAREWELL.
In the meantime at least twenty boys from the academy had gathered towatch the game.
Gregory Carker appeared, escorting Inza, Elsie, Winnie Badger, TeresaGallup, Mrs. Morton, and Juanita Garcia.
"Now we've got to play real baseball, fellows," laughed Frank, as Carkerescorted the ladies into the stand, where they took the most convenientseats. "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 smasheda hot grounder at Bubbs, who gathered the ball up cleanly and whipped itacross to Brooks.
"Out at first!" announced Kilgore.
"Oh, Bart! Bart!" cried Elsie laughingly. "Can't you do better thanthat?"
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 ofbenders which fooled Barney, who missed them both.
"Vait till der pat gets holdt uf me," muttered Dunnerwurst. "Der ballnefer 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 thebox.
"Now something vill see you," observed Dunnerwurst, in a low tone. "Derball vill hit him a mile."
Sparkfair did his best to deceive Merry, but finally put one over, andFrank drove it far into the field.
Hiram Bemis covered ground rapidly as he raced for the ball, but no onefancied he could catch it. Making a final desperate spurt, Hi leapedinto 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'tafford to let you have this game now. It would be simply awful aftergetting seven runs in the first inning."
"The game is young," reminded Frank.
Having escorted the ladies to seats, Gregory Carker deliberately placedhimself at the side of Juanita Garcia.
"Oh, Greg," called Madge Morton, "come here. I have something to showyou."
"Excuse me just now," he answered, "I'll come directly. The senyorita istelling 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 atCarker's side as she laughingly observed:
"Don't let me interrupt you. When the senyorita has finished I will takea 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. "Eetees not important what I have to say."
Madge had a delicate gold chain about her neck, and to the end of thischain was attached a small locket. This locket she now displayed, askingCarker if he remembered it.
"I think I do," he answered.
"I should think you would!" she laughed. "You gave it to me. Don't youthink 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 youshow 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 overit. He threatened to take it away from me."
Carker was decidedly uncomfortable. Glancing toward Juanita, he observedthat her cheeks were flushed and she seemed decidedly disturbed.
"It was rather a piece of folly on my part," he said. "You know a mangets foolish at times, Mrs. Morton."
"Oh, Mrs. Morton!" exclaimed Madge. "How formal you are, Gregory! Youwere not nearly so formal yesterday. You were not nearly so formal whenI met you alone."
Her eyes were on Juanita as she uttered these words. She saw the girlbite her lip.
"Eet ees a veree strange game thees baseball," said Juanita, turning toTeresa. "Do you understand eet?"
"Never mind her," said Madge Morton, pulling at Carker's sleeve. "Why doyou pay her so much attention?"
"Do you wish to know?" he asked, in a low tone. "Then I'll tell you. I'min love with her."
The woman looked at him with incredulous eyes, then threw back her headand laughed.
"More of your folly, Greg," she said. "You always were a silly chap. Inlove 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. Childrenlike this girl are amusing, but only unsophisticated boys and dodderingold 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 oftalking. Her dialect sounds rather cute to you. Don't be foolish, Greg."
"Mrs. Morton, I tried to make you understand yesterday. There was a timewhen I believed I cared a great deal for you. That's all over now. Youchose your own course, and you have no one save yourself to blamebecause there is now in my heart not the least spark of anything likelove for you."
"You may think there's no spark, but I believe the embers are stillsmoldering and I propose to fan them into a flame."
"Evidently you don't understand men, Mrs. Morton. I don't think a womanever yet caught a man by telling him what she proposed to do. It's aman's nature to pursue. He loves the chase. Let's watch this baseballgame."
With the greatest difficulty, she repressed her annoyance and anger.
The game was progressing, and with Frank Merriwell in the box it becamedecidedly interesting. The second inning passed with neither sidesecuring 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 lightcane and wore a straw hat. Glancing around, he discovered the ladies inthe stand, lifted his hat, made a graceful bow, and showed his teeth ina smile.
To the astonishment of every one, the Mexican entered the stand andapproached 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 Iknow Senyora Gallup and Senyorita Garcia. I am a man of impulse. I domanee theengs I afterward regret. I presume Senyorita Garcia has beenannoyed by me, and now I weesh to ask her pardon. I have taken the timeto considaire. I have thought eet all ovaire. Eet ees no use. When agirl een thees country decides that she weel not have anytheengwhatevaire to do with a man, he may as well gif eet up. Eet ees mydecision to geeve eet up. I am going back to Mexico. I shall leaveto-morrow. I have come to bid Senyorita Garcia _adios_."
"I don't beleef heem! I don't beleef heem!" whispered Juanita, coweringclose to Carker's side. "He ees lying!"
"I think you have decided wisely, Murillo," said Greg. "If I were inyour place, I'd git. In fact, unless you do git, I've decided to swearout a warrant for your arrest. I've decided to make complaint againstyou 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 shallgo."
With another sweeping bow, he turned and left the stand.
"Oh, I don't like this game at all!" exclaimed Mrs. Morton. "I never didlike baseball. I think I'll go to the house."
She likewise left the stand.