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 CHAPTER XXV

THE TEST AND THE DENIAL

At the post office, as he had hoped, King met Janet. Since Sunday, he had scarcely caught a glimpse of her, but he knew she sometimes came for the mail near that hour, and the knowledge brought him there from the mill. As she was leaving, he joined her, making an excuse to walk in the same direction.

They chatted about various trivial things, Janet seeming quite light-hearted. He, however, was troubled; he wished that she would speak of baseball, which would make it easier for him to introduce the matter that was on his mind. Coming in sight of the parsonage at last, he decided to delay no longer.

"I understand," he said abruptly, "that Kingsbridge's great pitcher, Locke, is in trouble."

"In trouble?" she exclaimed, surprised. "How?" The undisguised depth of her interest, and her all too apparent alarm, gave him a stab of anger.

"Oh," he answered, with pretended careless