"Weegman was just ass enough to fall for it," continued Stillman contemptuously. "What Garrity promised him I can't say, but certainly it must have been a satisfactory percentage of the loot--maybe an interest in the team when Garrity got control; and Weegman would sell his soul for money. The moment Collier was out of the way he got to work. You know as well as I do what success he's had. In order to cover his tracks as far as possible, he has picked you for the goat, and he'll try to shunt all the blame on you." Lefty's face was grim. He was endeavoring to look at the matter fairly and without bias. To himself he was compelled to admit that his knowledge of Parlmee had been obtained through casual association with the man, not through business dealings, and in no small degree, he, as well as Janet, had doubtless been influenced by the sentiments of Virginia Collier. A girl in love may be easily deceived; many girls, blinded by their own infatuation, have made heroes of thoroughbred scoundrels. It was practically impossible, however, for Locke to picture Parlmee as a scoundrel. "You have made a statement, Jack," he said, "without offering a particle of corroborating proof. How do you know all this to be true?" "I have the word of a man I trust that Parlmee and Garrity had that secret meeting in Chicago, just as I have stated. A few days ago Parlmee made a flying trip to Indianapolis, and--" "I know that," interrupted Lefty. "I was in Indianapolis at the time. I met him there and had a brief talk with him." "On his way back," resumed Stillman, "he stopped off at Cleveland to see Garrity, who happened to be in that city." "How do you know that?" "My own business chanced to call me out to Cleveland at that time, and I saw Parlmee and Garrity together at the American House." Locke took a long breath, recalling the fact that Parlmee, although professing to be in great haste when in Indianapolis, had not returned to his New York office as soon as expected. "That may have been an accidental meeting," said the southpaw. "Your proof has holes in it." The reporter lighted a fresh cigarette. "How does it happen," he asked, "that Parlmee is buying up all the small blocks of the club stock that he can get hold of?" Lefty started as if pricked by the point of a knife. Parlmee, an automobile salesman, a man who had found it necessary to get out and show that he could make good in the business world, buying the stock of the club! "Is he?" asked the pitcher. "He is," asserted Stillman positively. "I know of three lots that he has purchased, and in each instance he has paid a little more than it was supposed to be worth." "He--he may have bought it as an investment," faltered Janet.