"What—what do you mean?" he managed to stammer as Clancy came close and stood over him threateningly.
After his first outburst of rage Clancy was strangely quiet, speaking in low tones, vibrating with repressed feeling. From the moment Barney Baldwin had revealed to him his ownership of the Bears, and had issued his positive orders that Williams should pitch the game, Clancy had been fighting within himself, studying to find some plan of vengeance that would strike all the plotters. Never for an instant had he considered the thought of permitting the championship to be surrendered by the orders of the owner.
"Williams," he said, "you're a never-to-be-sufficiently-spit-upon cur. You're the lowest, yellowest dog in the world. I've known for two weeks that you have been trying to lose the pennant for us."
"Shut up!" he snapped, lifting his voice sharply as the pitcher attempted to speak. "I know what you've done and what you plan to do. I know who is back of you"——
The pitcher cowered under the scathing denunciation and started as if to rise.
"Who—who's been telling you this stuff?" he quavered, terror-stricken.
"You—you rat." Clancy's scorn stung like a lash and Williams quivered. "I know everything. I've waited and watched when you thought you were putting something over. I've waited for a chance to get you"——
He paused a moment, while Williams, palsied with terror, sat unable to answer.
"And I've got you, Williams!"
He shot the sentence at the pitcher, who half started from his seat, lifting his hands as if to protect himself from attack.