know that Barney Baldwin, the crooked politician, owns both
the Bears and the Panthers, wouldn't it?"

"You have no proof"----

"Haven't I? I saved both your notes. You're a fool, Baldwin. You
write letters. I have two mentioning McCarthy and Williams. I
wouldn't have any trouble getting them printed. Any sporting editor in
the city would give a thousand dollars for such proof."

"Look here, Ed," expostulated Baldwin, "there isn't any use for us to
quarrel. We're both in this thing"----

"Now you're talking sense," said the gambler. "We haven't any time to
lose. The club leaves town at 11.30 to-night."

"What do you want me to do?" gasped Baldwin helplessly.

"You're pretty strong with Captain Raferty, of the North Nineteenth
Street police, aren't you?"

"Yes--I've done him some favors."

"Well, I want you to fix it with him that when I bring a prisoner in
to-night some time he's to be locked downstairs and kept until you
telephone to let him loose."

"What are you going to do?" asked Baldwin, alarmed.

"I'm going to do something myself," replied the gambler sharply. "I've
tried a lot of you fellows and you've all fallen down. Now I'm going
to get this McCarthy and put him out of the way."

"You're taking an awful risk"----

"It's a sure thing the other way, and I'm desperate," the gambler cut
him short. "When you get that fixed you catch the first train and
follow the team. You get Clancy in the morning and force him to let
Williams pitch one of the games down there. Wilcox is worked out now,
and if we can make sure Williams will pitch one game, that will force
Clancy to pitch Wilcox again, and he'll be beaten sure. With McCarthy
out of the game, as he will be, the Bears haven't a chance. They're
half a game ahead, but if they lose two out of three and the Panthers
win one out of their remaining two games, the Panthers beat them out on
percentage, and the Panthers ought to win both games."

"You haven't cornered McCarthy yet?" asked the politician.

"No," admitted Edwards. "He left the hotel nearly two hours ago and
said he'd be back before ten o'clock. I have two men watching him, and
they're to let me know where he is and what he is doing. I ought to
have heard from them before now."

The telephone rang at that instant.

"This is it now," said Edwards in low tones. "Hello!" he said, taking
up the receiver. "Yes--you, Jack? All right. You have? Where? All
right. I'll join