"I don't mind telling you that if the Bears win I'll almost be smashed," replied the gambler angrily. "I was fool enough to play the game myself. I picked the Panthers to win and made a lot of scattering bets all summer. Then Carson, the Bears' third baseman, broke a leg. They tried to keep it quiet as long as possible. I had a friend in the club who tipped off to me an hour after it happened that Carson's leg was smashed in two places. I jumped right in and plunged, thinking that without Carson the Bears hadn't a chance. Then along comes this blanked red-head and turns it all upside down."
"What red-head?"
"McCarthy—that kid third baseman. He's been winning games right along that they ought to have lost, and it looks as if the Bears will win out anyhow—unless you can stop them."
"McCarthy, eh?" Baldwin smiled patronizingly for the first time. "My boy, don't worry. You may know baseball better than I do—but you've hit something I know about. I think I can handle this McCarthy. I believe you can get ready to deliver those votes. I must be going now."
"I'm going to send for that pitcher I've got fixed, to-night," said Edwards.
"Have him down about ten, or a little later," suggested Baldwin genially as he arose to leave.
It was the arrival of Baldwin in the barroom to attend the meeting with Adonis Williams and Easy Ed Edwards that Silent Swanson and Kohinoor McCarthy saw—and it was well for McCarthy's peace of mind that he did not hear what transpired at that meeting.