in the lead, a
sacrifice was the proper play, and Burkett laid down a neat bunt in front
of the plate that carried Denton to second, although the batter died at
first.

Alvarez purposely passed Willis on the chance of the next batter hitting
into a double play, which would have retired the side. Becker made a
mighty effort to bring his comrades in, but hit under the ball, and it
went high in the air and was caught by Alvarez as it came down, without
the pitcher moving from his tracks.

With two out, there was no need of a double play and the infielders, who
had been playing close in, resumed their usual positions. Iredell, the
next man up caught the ball square on the end of his bat and sent it
whistling between center and third. The shortstop leaped up and knocked
the ball down, but it was going too fast for him to hold.

Denton had left second at the crack of the bat, and by the time the
infielder regained the ball had rounded third and was tearing like a
racehorse toward the plate. There was little time to get set and the
hurried throw home went over the catcher's head. Denton slid feet first
over the plate, scoring the run that put his team in the lead.

Willis tried to make it good measure by coming close behind him, but by
this time the catcher had recovered the ball and shot it back to Alvarez
who was guarding the plate. He nipped Willis by three feet and the side
was out.

But that one run in the lead looked as big as a house at that stage in the
game.

"All you've got to do now, Hamilton, old man, is to hold them down in
their half," said Brennan.

"Cinch," grinned Hamilton. "I'll have them eating out of my hand."

But the uncertainty that makes the national game the most fascinating one
in the world was demonstrated when the Denver team came in to do-or-die in
their half of the ninth.

Hamilton fed the first batter a snaky curve, which he lashed at savagely
but vainly. The next was a slow one and resulted in a chop to the infield
which Larry would have ordinarily gobbled up without trouble. But the ball
took an ugly bound just as he was all set for it and went over his head
toward right. Before Curry could get the ball the batter had reached
second and the stands were once more in an uproar.

The uproar increased when Hamilton, somewhat shaken by the incident, gave
the next batter a base on balls, and the broad smiles which had suffused
the faces of Robbie and McRae began to fade.

"Is Hamilton g