er
him:

"And so you're going to St. Louis; are you? Well, look out for me,
that's all I've got to say! Look out for Bill Shalleg!" and he slammed
the door after Joe.

CHAPTER VI

A WARNING

Joe Matson's brain was in a whirl as he left the boarding house where
Shalleg had made his strange threat. The young pitcher had never before
gone through such an experience, and it had rather unnerved him.

"I wonder what I'd better do?" he mused, as he walked along the street,
where many men were busy clearing away the snow. "I don't like to report
what he said to me to any of the baseball authorities, for it would look
as though I was afraid of him. And I'm not!" declared Joe, sturdily.
"Shalleg wasn't himself, or he wouldn't have said such things. He didn't
know quite what he was doing, I guess."

But, the more Joe thought of it, as he trudged along, the more worried
he became.

"He has a very bad temper, and he might do me some injury," mused Joe.
"But, after all, what _can_ he do? If he stays on the Clevefield team,
and I go to St. Louis, we'll be far enough apart. I guess I won't do
anything about it now."

But the youth could not altogether conceal the emotions that had swayed
him during the strange interview. When, a little later, he called at the
hotel to see if Reggie and his sister had comfortable rooms, his face
must have showed something unusual, for Mabel asked:

"Why, Joe, what is the matter?"

"Matter? Nothing," he replied, with a laugh, but it was rather forced.

"You look as though--something had happened," the girl went on. "Perhaps
you haven't recovered from your efforts to rescue us from the stalled
train last night."

"Oh, yes, I'm all over that," declared Joe, more at his ease now.

"It was awfully good of you," proceeded Mabel. "Just think; suppose we
had had to stay in that train until now?"

"Oh, they've been relieved by this time," spoke Joe.

"Yes, but they had to stay there all night. I can't thank you enough for
coming after us. Are you sure there is nothing the matter?" she
insisted. "You haven't had bad news, about not making the St. Louis
team; have you?"

"No, indeed. I haven't had any news at all since that one letter from
Mr. Gregory. And no news is good news, they say."

"Not always," and she smiled.

"Are you comfortable here?" asked Joe, as he sat in the parlor between
the bedrooms of brother and sister.

"Oh, yes. And Reggie likes it very much. He has a lot o