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 league. Don't you see, Riley, if he were to come over to you and be used successfully against Kingsbridge, he might think that he was getting back at me? I've made up my mind to put him down and out, and when it is done I intend to let him know I did it. It will benefit you if he is barred entirely, and that should be sufficient to make you ready to help put him to the mat. You don't really need him, anyhow."

"Mebbe not," agreed Mike. "I'm out after a southpaw right now that can make this college lefty look like a frappéd lemon, and I've got my left-hand hitters practicing against a kid left-hander with speed and curves, so that they can pound that kind of pitchin'. Didn't know but my claims to him might fall through, y'see."

"Then," questioned the treacherous Kingsbridge manager, "you haven't any real claim? You haven't a letter from him speaking of terms, or anything like that?"

"I haven't," confessed Riley. "I writ him twict, but I never got no answer. It made me sore to think that old doughhead, Cope, should beat me to it, and I made up my mind to bluff the thing through as fur as possible. Didn't calc'late the youngster, knowin' how it would bump him at college, would relish the advertisin' he was bound