CHAPTER XXIV
THE BLOW FALLS
Baseball Joe's first sensation was one of unutterable surprise, followed amoment later by fierce indignation.
"What's the matter, Joe?" asked Jim, coming up behind him.
"Matter enough!" growled Joe, thrusting the offending paper under hiscomrade's nose. "Look at this!"
Jim looked and gave a long whistle of surprise.
"What does it mean?" he ejaculated, as his eyes went from the headlines tothe story, which covered the greater part of the page.
"Mean?" snorted Joe. "It means a stab in the back. It means that thoseskunks are trying to do by lying what they couldn't do by bribery. Itmeans that while we're thousands of miles away they are trying to gull thepublic and get other ball players to jump their contracts by a barefacedlie like this. I wish I had hold of the fellow who's doing this--I'd makehim sweat for it!"
"Of course it's a lie," assented Jim, "and a lie out of whole cloth. Butwhat beats me is why they should do it? It's bound to be a boomerang."
They sat down side by side and read the paper together, and the more theyread the more bewildered they became.
For the story was circumstantial. It went into minute details. It embracedinterviews with the backers of the new league, who confirmed it withouthesitation. One of the paragraphs read as follows:
"Nothing in years has created such a sensation in the world of sport as the news just made public that Matson, the star pitcher of the Giants, had jumped the fold and landed in the All-Star League. It was known that overtures were made to this great pitcher at the end of his last season, when his magnificent work created a record in the National League that will probably never be surpassed. It was understood, however, that these offers, though coupled with a tremendous bonus and salary, had been definitely rejected. For that reason the news that he has reconsidered and jumped to the All-Stars comes like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. The major leaguers are in consternation, while the new league naturally is jubilant at this acquisition to their ranks. Matson is a popular idol among his fellow players and it is believed that many stars who have been wavering in their allegiance to the old leagues will follow his example."
The rest of the page was devoted to a recital of Joe's achievements inpitching the Giants to the Championship of the National League and, later,to the Championship of the World.
The two friends stared at each other in amazement and rage, and just thenMcRae and Robbie, together with a group of other players, came hurryingup, holding other papers which, though in different words, toldsubstantially the same story.
There was a babel of excited questions and exclamations, and Joe felt asharp pang go through him, as for the first time in his experience withthe manager of the Giants, he saw in McRae's eyes a shadow of distrust.
"Isn't this the limit?" asked McRae, as he crushed the paper in his hand,threw it to the floor and trampled on it in disgust and anger.
"It sure is," replied Joe. "I've had lies told about me before but neverone that touched me on the raw like this."
"It's a burning outrage," cried Denton indignantly.
"What they expect to make out of it is beyond me," declared Robbie. "Theyought to know that they can't get away with it."
"But in the meantime it will have done its work," Willis pointed out."What if it is contradicted later on? By that time they'll have a dozenstars signed and they should worry. As long as it's believed that Joe hasjumped, it's just as good for them as though he had."
"That's the worst of it," agreed Joe bitterly. "Of course I'll send acable contradicting it, but the lie has got a head start and a lot ofdamage has been done. What do you suppose my friends in America arethinking about me just now?"
"Don't worry about that, Joe," comforted Jim. "Your real friends won'tbelieve it, and for the rest it doesn't matter. Nobody that really knowsyou believes you would jump your contract."
"Whoever got that story up was foxy, though," commented Mylert, the burlycatcher of the Giants. "There are no 'ifs or ands' about it like mostphony stories where the fellow's trying to hedge in case someone comesback at him. It sounds like straight goods. It's the most truthful lookinglie I ever saw."
"But it's a lie just the same!" cried Joe desperately. "All you fellowsknow I wouldn't throw the Giants down, don't you?" he asked, as his eyesswept the circle of fellow players who were gathered around him.
There was a murmur of assent, but it was not as hearty as Joe could havewished. If there was not distrust, there was at least bewilderment, forthe story bore all the earmarks of truth.
"You know it, don't you, Mac?" repeated Joe, this time addressing directlythe Giant leader.
For a fraction of a second McRae hesitated. Then he threw doubt to thewinds and gripped Joe's hand with a heartiness that warmed the latter'sheart.
"Of course, I know it, Joe!" he exclaimed emphatically. "I don't deny thatfor a moment the paper had me going. But in my heart I know it's a lie. Sojust send your cable and then let's forget it. Those fellows are justmaking a rope to hang themselves with. We'll make it warm for them when weget back to the States."
"You ought to sue the papers for libel," growled Robbie.
"There won't be any suing," said Joe heatedly. "Just let me have fiveminutes alone with the fellow that started this and that's all I'll ask."
He hurried down with Jim to the cable office and a few minutes later thismessage buzzed its way across the seas:
"Report that I have signed with the All-Star League absolutely false. Will give a thousand dollars to charity if anyone can produce contract.
"JOSEPH MATSON."
"That ought to hold them for a while," commented Jim.
"It ought," said Joe gloomily. "But you know the old saying that 'a liewill go round the world while truth is getting its boots on.'"
Still he felt better, and by the time he got back to the hotel and met thegirls, he had so far regained his usual poise that he could tell them allabout it with some measure of self-control.
"Why, Joe! how could they dare do such a thing as that?" exclaimed Mabel,her eyes flashing fire.
"It's about the meanest thing I ever heard of!" cried his sister.
"They ought to be sued for libel, don't you know," broke in Reggie. "Ifyou sued them, Joe, you might get quite heavy damages."
"It's a pity you can't put somebody in jail for it," was Mabel's furthercomment.
"Yes, that's what ought to happen!" cried Clara.
Both of the girls were wild with indignation. Although Mabel at one time,influenced by the arguments of Braxton that Joe was not really bound by aone-sided contract, had spoken to him about it in a guarded way, Joe hadshown her so clearly his moral obligation that he had convinced herabsolutely. And now she was angry clear through at the blow in the darkthat had been launched against him.
"Who could have done such a contemptible thing?" she cried.
"It must have been that horrid Westland!" exclaimed Clara.
"Maybe," agreed her brother. "I rather hope it was."
"Why?" asked Jim curiously.
"Because," gritted Joe through his teeth, "he's a big fellow and I won'tbe ashamed to hit him."