CHAPTER V
THE THREAT
"Here's a boarding house that will suit you, I think," announced Joe, alittle later, as he stopped the horses in front of a sort of hostelry ofgood reputation. It was not as large nor as stylish as some of the otherplaces in Riverside, but Joe bore in mind the man's request to be takento a moderate-priced establishment.
"Thanks," said the stranger. "Then you'll come here to see me to-morrow?I'll be in all day."
"I'll call in the afternoon, Mr.--er----" and Joe hesitated. "I don'tbelieve I caught your name," he said, significantly.
"No, I didn't mention it, but it's Shalleg," was the answer.
"Oh, of the Clevefield team!" exclaimed the young player, knowing nowwhere he had heard the voice before.
"Yes, of the Clevefield team," admitted Mr. Shalleg, repeating the nameof one of the nines forming the Central League, and which team Joe'sclub had met several times on the diamond.
"I was trying, ever since you spoke, to recall where I'd met youbefore," went on Joe, "but you had me guessing. I'm glad to meet youagain. I suppose you're going to stay with the League this comingseason?"
"I--er--I haven't quite made my plans," was the somewhat hesitatinganswer. "I've been looking about. I was over in Rocky Ford this morning,seeing a friend, and I happened to recall that you lived in Riverside,so I came on, but lost my way in the storm. I didn't recognize you backthere, where you had the upset."
"The lack of recognition was mutual," laughed Joe, puzzling over whatShalleg's object could be in seeking him. "Well, I must get these folksin out of the storm," Joe went on. "I'll see you to-morrow, Mr.Shalleg."
The latter alighted from the cutter, and entered the boarding house,while Joe turned the heads of the horses toward his own home.
"I guess you'll be glad to get indoors," he said to Reggie and Mabel.
"Well, it's pretty cold," Reggie admitted, "though I suppose my sisterwill say she likes it."
"I do!" declared Mabel. "But it isn't so nice when it's dark," sheconfessed.
They were now on the principal street of Riverside, and the lamps fromthe shop windows gleamed dimly on the swirling flakes, and drifts ofsnow.
A little later Joe pulled up in front of his own house, and escorted thevisitors into the cheery living room.
"Here they are, Mother--Clara!" he called, as Mrs. Matson and herdaughter came out to welcome their guests.
"I am glad to see you," said Clara, simply, as she kissed Mabel----andone look from the sister's eyes told Joe that Clara approved of hisfriends.
"Where's father?" asked Joe.
"Bathing his eyes," replied his mother. "He'll be here presently," forMr. Matson had recently undergone an operation on his eyes, after anaccident, and they still needed care.
Soon a merry party was gathered about the supper table, where the eventsof the day were told, from the receipt by Joe of the two letters, to therescue from the stalled train, and the accident in the snow.
"But I sure would like to know what it is Shalleg wants," mused Joe, whohad come back from leaving the horses at the livery stable. "I surewould."
"Didn't he give you any hint?" asked Clara.
"No. But perhaps he wants some advice about baseball matters. I'mgetting to be some pumpkins, you know, since St. Louis is after me!"cried Joe, with simulated pride.
"Oh, do tell us about it!" cried Mabel, and Joe related the news of thedraft that would probably take him to the big league.
Reggie and Mabel spent the night at Joe's house. The storm kept upthrough the hours of darkness, and part of the next day, when itstopped, and the sun came out. Old Sol shone on a scene of whiteness,where big drifts of snow were piled here and there.
"I wonder how the stalled train is faring?" remarked Mabel, afterbreakfast. "We'll have to get our trunks away from it, somehow, Reggie."
"Yes, I suppose so," he said. "And I've got to look after those businessmatters. I think we had better go to the hotel," he added.
"Very well," assented Joe. "I'll go down to the station with you, andwe'll see about your baggage."
"I'll stay here until you boys come back," decided Mabel, who had takenas great a liking to Clara, as the latter had to her.
Joe and Reggie found that the train was still stalled in the snow drift,but a large force of shovelers was at work, and the prospect was thatthe line would be opened that afternoon. Thereupon Reggie went to thehotel to arrange about his own room, and one for his sister.
"And I'll go see Shalleg," decided Joe. "Might as well get it over with,though I did tell him I wouldn't come until afternoon. I'm anxious toknow what it's all about."
"He's making a sort of mystery of it," observed Reggie.
"Somewhat," admitted Joe, with a smile.
Greatly to his relief (for Joe was anxious to get the matter over with)he found Shalleg at the boarding house when he called.
"Come up to my room," invited the baseball player. "It's warmer thandown in the parlor."
In his room he motioned Joe to a chair, and then, looking intently atthe young pitcher, said:
"Matson, do you know what it is to be down and out?"
"Down and out? What do you mean?"
"I mean to have few friends, and less money. Do you know what thatmeans?"
"Well, not personally," said Joe, "though I can't boast of a superfluityof money myself."
"You've got more than I have!" snapped Shalleg.
"I don't know about that," said Joe, slowly, wondering whither theconversation was leading.
"Your team won the pennant!" cried the man, and Joe, as he caught theodor of his breath, realized what made Shalleg's manner so excited. Theman was partially intoxicated. Joe wished he had not come. "Your teamwon the pennant," Shalleg went on, "and that meant quite a little moneyfor every player. You must have gotten your share, and I'd like toborrow some of you, Matson. I'm down and out, I tell you, and I needmoney bad--until I can get on my feet again."
Joe did not answer for a moment, but mentally he found a reason forShalleg's being "off his feet" at present. Bad habits, very likely.
"Can you let me have some money--until Spring opens?" proceeded Shalleg."You'll be earning more then, whether I am or not, for I don't know thatI'm going back with Clevefield. I suppose you'll play with the Pittstonteam?"
"I don't know," answered Joe, preferring to reply to that questionfirst. He wanted time to think about the other.
"You don't know!" Shalleg exclaimed, in surprise.
"No. I hear I am to be drafted to the St. Louis Nationals."
"The St. Louis Nationals!" cried Shalleg. "That team! Why, that team isthe one I----"
He came to a sudden halt.
"What is it?" asked Joe, wonderingly.
"I--er--I--er--well, never mind, now. Can you let me have--say, twohundred dollars?"
"Two hundred dollars!" cried Joe. "I haven't that much money to spare.And, if I had, I don't know that I would be doing my duty to my fatherand mother to lend it."
"But I need it!" cried Shalleg. "Did you ever know what it was to bedown and out?"
"Well, I've seen such sad cases, and I'm sorry for you," spoke Joe,softly. He thought of John Dutton, the broken-down pitcher whose rescue,from a life of ruin, had been due largely to our hero's efforts, as toldin the volume immediately preceding this.
"Being sorry isn't going to help," sneered Shalleg, and there was anugly note in his voice. "I need money! You must have some left from yourpennant winnings."
"I had to spend a large sum for my father's operation," said Joe. "Hehas had bad luck, too. I really have no money to spare."
"That's not so--I don't believe you!" snapped Shalleg. "You must havemoney, and I've got to get some. I've been begging from a lot of fellowswho played ball with me, but they all turned me down. Now you're doingthe same thing. You'd better be careful. I'm a desperate man!"
"What do you mean?" asked Joe, in some alarm, for he thought the fellowmeditated an attack. Joe looked to see with
what he could defendhimself, and he noted, though with no cowardly satisfaction, that thedoor to the hall was close at hand.
"I mean just what I say. I'm desperately in need of money."
"Well, I'm very sorry, but I'm not in a position to be able to helpyou," said Joe, firmly. "Why don't you go to the manager of your team,and get him to give you an advance on your salary? That is often done.I'm sure if you told him your need he'd do it."
"No, he wouldn't!" growled Shalleg. "I've got to borrow it somewhereelse. Then you won't let me have it?" and he glowered at Joe.
"I can't, even if I would."
"I don't believe it!" snarled the other. "And now I tell you one thing.I'm a bad man to be bad friends with. If you don't let me have thismoney it will be the worse for you."
"I guess you are forgetting yourself," returned Joe, quietly. "I did notcome here to be threatened, or insulted. I guess you are not yourself,Mr. Shalleg. I am sorry, and I'll bid you good day."
With that Joe walked out, but not before the infuriated man called afterhim:
"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 slammedthe door after Joe.
Baseball Joe in the Big League; or, A Young Pitcher's Hardest Struggles Page 5