CHAPTER XIII
THE LAST STRIKE-OUT
But no man on that field felt the sting of the
moment as deeply as Jock Hoover, in
whose heart hatred for Tom Locke burned
like living fire. The wonder and terror of the
league, he feared that a blazing sun had risen to
eclipse him. The effect upon him was fully apparent
when he carelessly let Stark steal second
behind his back, which brought upon him the
amused scoffing of the Kingsbridgers. Nor did it
serve to lessen the bitterness of his soul when, although
he still burned the ball over with the sharp
slants which an expert "spit artist" commands,
Crandall leaned against it for a grasser to right,
and Stark, spurred by the shrieking coacher,
crossed third, and reached the home plate, adding
another tally.
After that, Anastace popped, and Hinkey agitated the air; but the damage was done.
Riley's scathing, acrid arraignment of his batters did no good. Although an error let Mace get to first in the seventh, Locke disposed of the next
