Page:Lefty o' the Bush.djvu/160

 *ness, "it has just leaked out that he played a rather slick two-handed game with Bancroft and Kingsbridge, and Mike Riley is making a holler about it. He professes to hold first claim on the man. If so, this town will lose the mighty southpaw."

Her alarm became almost panicky.

"I don't understand, and I don't believe a word of it. It's only another of Riley's tricks. How can he have any claim on Lefty?"

He explained.

"Oh," said Janet, "is Lefty really and truly a college man? I felt sure he could not be just an ordinary professional player. He seems far too refined and well bred."

"He's a college man, all right. He looked familiar to me at first sight, but I was not sure I had seen him before. His name is Hazelton, and he did some pitching for Princeton this year, but I don't think he was a regular on that team until the end of last season. I suppose he thought that, coming away up here in the bush, he could get by under a fake name without being found out. They're wise to him, however, and now he's in bad. It should end his career as a college pitcher."

"That would be a shame!"