not
going to pitch. Your dear friend Grant is enjoying great popularity
just at present, but even the dummys will realize that he's a
fourth-rater after they see him pitch against Newbert. Dade knows what
I want him to do, and for old times sake he'll do his prettiest. And,
by the way, if you want to coin some easy money, just find a sucker who
is ready to back Oakdale for a little bet."

CHAPTER XXII.

SELF-RESTRAINT OR COWARDICE.

Rackliff had succeeded in doubling Springer's hatred for Rodney Grant.
So the fellow Phil had befriended and taught to pitch was sneering
about him behind his back! And everybody was saying that Grant was
already a better pitcher than his instructor ever could hope to become!
Springer wondered how it was possible that, even for a moment, he had
ever taken a fancy to such a chap.

"He'd better not say too much about me," Phil growled to himself. "I
know he is a fighter. I know he has a fearful temper. But he'll find
out I'm not afraid of him."

That very night Lela Barker, coming to the post office to mail some
letters, was followed and annoyed by Rackliff when she started to
return home. Herbert persisted in forcing his unwelcome company upon
her until, catching sight of a familiar figure passing on the opposite
side of the street, she called for assistance.

Rodney Grant came running across, giving Rackliff a look, cap in hand,
as he inquired the cause of the girl's alarm.

"Oh, Rod," she said, "I do wish you would walk home with me.
This--this fellow has persisted in following me and forcing his company
upon me."

"The onery, conceited, unmannerly cad!" exploded the Texan, evidently
itching to put hands on Herbert, who bluffed the situation through with
insolent effrontery, laughing as he lighted a cigarette. "What he
needs is a good thrashing, and, if he wasn't a sickly, insignificant
creature, it would give me a right good heap of satisfaction to hand
him one."

"Bah!" said Herbert. "You're a big blowhard, that's all. It betrays
lamentably poor taste on Miss Barker's part to prefer the company of a
lout like you to that of a gentleman."

It was lucky for Rackliff that Lela was there and her hand fell on the
arm of the boy from Texas, for otherwise Rodney might have forgotten
himself. Fearing his lack of self-restraint, the girl urged him away,
and they left Herbert leaning against a tree and still laughing, his
cigarette in the corner of his mouth.

Hal