y," she responded sadly. "If it's anything ye
can tell me come to me."

"I see I have another adopted son," remarked Clancy teasingly as he
winked at Miss Tabor. "Ellen mothers them all, as soon as she learns
their first names--even the Swede."

"'Tis proud I'd be to have a son like Sven," she said, defendingly.

The breakfast ended rather quietly and McCarthy returned to his seat in
the players' car dispirited. In his heart he knew that Mrs. Clancy had
spoken the truth. He knew, too, that Betty Tabor held the same opinion
and, somehow, her opinion of him counted more than that of all the
others.

"If I only could explain," he kept thinking. "They have no right to
ask," he argued with himself. "Why do they suspect a man just because
he refuses to tell them all his private affairs?"

McCarthy was settling himself to resume reading when Adonis Williams
came down the aisle and sat down in the other half of the seat.
Williams looked at him patronizingly for an instant, and in a rather
sneering tone said:

"Just a friendly little tip, young fellow. Keep off my preserves and
you'll get along better with this club."

"I don't quite understand you," replied McCarthy, his eyes narrowing
with the anger aroused by the air of superiority assumed by the pitcher.

"I was watching you during breakfast," said Williams. "Don't get it
into your head that because you happened to play a couple of good games
of ball you can run this club and do as you please."

"Hold on a minute," retorted McCarthy, flushing with anger. "If you
have any grievance against me say so. Don't beat around the bush. I
don't know what you are talking about."

"I wanted to tip you off to keep away from the young woman you ate
breakfast with."

McCarthy's eyes flashed angrily, and he started to rise, but controlled
himself with an effort.

"Only muckers discuss such things," he said, coldly.

"Well, we're going to discuss it," retorted Williams, who rapidly was
working himself into a rage. "That young lady is going to be my wife,
and I don't care to have her associating with every hobo ball player
that joins the team."

McCarthy clenched his fists and started to his feet, but gritted his
teeth and kept control of his temper. "You're to be congratulated--if
it is true," he said slowly, his tone an insult. "Men cannot fight
over a woman and not have her name dragged into it. Drop that part of
it and to-night I'll insult you and give you