n, after a pause.

"It is?" cried Joe in surprise. "Why, I thought----"

"I'm sorry, too," she broke in with. "You have given Reggie and me a
lovely time. I've enjoyed myself very much."

"Not half as much as _I_ have," murmured Joe.

Reggie came in a little later, and congratulated the young player, and
then Charlie Hall added his good wishes. It was his last day in town
also, and he and the Varleys left on the same train, Joe and his sister
going to the station to see them off.

"If you get snowed in again, just let me know," called Joe, with a
laugh, as the train pulled out. "I'll come for you in an airship."

"Thanks!" laughed Mabel, as she waved her hand in a final good-bye.

As Joe was leaving the station a train from Rocky Ford pulled in, and
one of the passengers who alighted from it was the ill-favored man who
had endeavored to pick a quarrel with Joe at the hotel the night
before.

The fellow favored the young player with a surly glance, and seemed
about to approach him. Then, catching sight of Clara at her brother's
side, he evidently thought better of it, and veered off.

Joe's face must have showed his surprise at the sight of the man, for
Clara asked:

"Who is that fellow, Joe? He looked at you in such a peculiar way. Do
you know him?"

Joe was glad he could answer in the negative. He really did not know the
man, and did not want to, though it certainly seemed strange that he
should encounter him again.

"He seems to know you," persisted Clara, for the man had looked back at
Joe twice.

"Maybe he thinks he does, or maybe he wants to," went on the pitcher,
trying to speak indifferently. "Probably he's heard that I'm the coming
twirling wonder of the Cardinals," and he pretended to swell up his
chest, and look important.

"Nothing like having a good opinion of yourself," laughed Clara.

That afternoon's mail brought Joe a letter from Mr. Gregory, in which
the news contained in the telegram was confirmed. It was also stated
that Joe would receive formal notice of his draft from the St. Louis
team, and his contract, which was to be signed in duplicate.

"I wish he'd said something about salary," mused our hero. "But probably
the other letter, from the St. Louis manager, will have that in, and the
contract will, that's certain."

The following day all the details were settled. Joe received formal
notice of his draft from the Pittstons to the St. Louis Cardinals. He
was to play for a salary