afe.

"Sorry I couldn't come back to the hotel for you," Rad greeted Joe, as
they met in front of the theatre. "But my business took me longer than I
counted on. We're in time for the show, anyhow. It starts a little later
in summer."

"That's all right," said Joe. "As a matter of fact I have been away from
the hotel myself, for some time."

"So the clerk said. Told me you'd gone out and left a message for me.
Say, what's up, Joe? You look as though something had happened," for
now, in the light, Rad had a glimpse of his chum's face, and it wore a
strange look.

"Something did happen," said Joe in a low voice. "I believe I was in
danger. I'll tell you all about it," which he did, in a low voice,
between the acts of the play.

It is doubtful if either Joe or Rad paid much attention to what occurred
on the stage that evening.

CHAPTER XXIII

A LAME ARM

"But, great Scott, Joe!" exclaimed Rad, when he had been given all the
facts of the strange occurrence, "that was a raw sort of deal!"

"I think so myself."

"Why don't you get the police after them?"

"What would be the good? Nothing really happened, and just because I
have an idea it would have, if I'd given them the chance to get at me,
doesn't make them liable to arrest. I would look foolish going to the
police."

"Maybe so. But then there's that note. They didn't have any idea of
doing me a good turn. That was almost a forgery."

"The trouble is we can't prove it, though. I think the only thing I can
do is to let it go, and be more careful in the future."

"Well, maybe it is," agreed Rad slowly. "But what do you think was their
object?"

"I haven't the least idea," replied Joe. "That is, the only thing I can
imagine is that Shalleg wanted to scare me; or, perhaps, threaten me
for what he imagines I have done to him."

"And that is?" questioned Rad.

"That I've been spreading false reports about him to our manager, in
order to keep him off the team. As a matter of fact, I don't believe I
have ever mentioned him to Mr. Watson. It's all imagination on Shalleg's
part."

"What condition was he in to-night?" asked Rad, as he and Joe were on
their way to the hotel after the play.

"As far as I could judge, he was about as he has been most of the time
lately--scarcely sober. That, and his gambling and irregular living,
took him off the team, you know."

"And he thinks, with that record behind him, that he can get on the
Cardinals!" exclaim