“I’ll tell you just why it is,” declared Jim. “It’s because you were first knocked out of the box at the Polo Grounds. That was such a shock to you that you associate the grounds in some vague way with the incident. You think that what happened there once may happen there again. You’ve brooded over it. It’s made you nervous. You feel as though you were hoodooed. Snap out of it, old boy!”
But Joe refused to accept Jim’s explanation. It was not psychological. It was physical. He was as cool and nervy as ever when he went into the box, but his arm was wrong. It felt queer, heavy, with little electric tinglings rippling along it from hand to shoulder.
Dougherty could find nothing the matter with it. A leading specialist whom he consulted had no solution except that the arm must have been overworked. Rest was his only prescription. And neither Dougherty nor the specialist could explain the difference between Joe’s work in New York and that which he did on the enemy’s grounds.
One thing that relieved somewhat the gloom that was gradually settling on Joe’s mind was the fact that Mabel was coming to New York for a visit. Both had been looking forward to it eagerly, and Jim was welcoming her coming also, for he hoped that it would cheer his chum, give a different trend to his thoughts, and banish his depression.
Clara had at first intended to come with Mabel, but Mrs. Matson had had one of her bad turns and Clara had to defer her trip, much to poor Jim’s disappointment.
On the morning of Mabel’s expected arrival Joe went down to the station to meet her, his heart beating with delighted anticipation.
“Won’t you come along?” Joe asked Jim.
“Not on your life!” grinned Jim. “I know when two’s company and three’s a crowd. You’ll want her just to yourself for a little while. I’ll see the dear girl when you bring her up here. In the meantime, I’ve just had a long letter from Clara and I’ll try to console myself with that while you luckier folks are renewing your honeymoon.”
So Joe went down alone and his heart skipped a beat when Mabel, more distractingly beautiful than ever she seemed to him, came through the gates and he rushed forward to meet her. For the next few moments they forget that there was any one else in the world.
Then they called a taxicab, and in a short time were whirled up in front of the Westmere Arms and went up to their suite.