was carefully groomed and everything about him indicated
money. He fairly exuded prosperity.

He greeted Joe with a cordiality that seemed a trifle overdone,
considering their brief acquaintance.

"By George, Mr. Matson," he said, "this town has fallen for you all right.
The whole place is buzzing with that affair of last night, and I don't
wonder. If it hadn't been for you, the coroner and undertaker would be
busy this morning."

"Oh, I don't know," responded Joe. "If I hadn't got to it someone else
would. It wasn't much of a blaze anyway, and ten to one it would have gone
out of itself."

"Modest I see," laughed Westland. "They say that all great men are. But
you can't get anyone in this town to take such a slighting view of it as
you do yourself."

"You said last night that you had a business matter you wanted to see me
about," suggested Joe, in order to change the subject.

"So I have," replied Westland, "and I've traveled over a thousand miles to
talk to you personally about it."

He lighted a fresh cigar while Joe waited indifferently. He had been
interviewed so much in the last year or two on all conceivable subjects
that his curiosity was scarcely awakened.

"Of course, Mr. Matson," began Westland, "you've heard of the new major
league that has just been organized and----"

Joe's bored feeling vanished and he was wide-awake in an instant. So this
was what the visit meant! Jim's prediction was coming true sooner than he
had expected.

"Pardon me, Mr. Westland," he interrupted, "but if this is about baseball,
I have a friend visiting me who is as much interested in the game as I am.
In fact, he's a player himself. It's Jim Barclay of the Giants. You've
heard of him, of course. Hello there, Jim!" he called, as he threw open
the door into the adjoining room, where Jim was watching a distracting
dimple come and go in Clara's cheek as they chatted together.

"Really, Mr. Matson," said Westland, visibly flustered, "much as I would
like to meet Mr. Barclay, I would rather----"

But just then Jim came strolling in, and Joe hastened to introduce him. He
had used the stratagem in order to have a witness at hand. He was
determined that no false or twisted version of the interview should be
given out broadcast in the interest of the new league.

Despite his annoyance, Westland was diplomat enough to make the best of
the situation, and he acknowledged the introduction graciously.

"Mr. Westland called in con