"Miss Collier," said the pitcher, "did Weegman offer an explanation of the raid on the team? Did he say who was at the bottom of it?"

Instantly a little cloud came to her face, and an expression of regret appeared in her eyes. "Yes," she answered. "He told me. At first I could not believe it."

Stillman leaned forward, listening, his lips slightly parted. Locke turned toward him, but turned back quickly, with another question on his lips. Virginia was speaking again, however.

"I can scarcely believe it now," she said sadly. "It seems too utterly impossible! I can't imagine any one being such a scoundrel--much less him! But Weegman has made sure; he has the proof. Of course, he has told you all about it, Lefty; it was necessary that you should know." Her manner had grown deeply dejected.

"What did Weegman tell you?" asked the southpaw. "Who did he say was responsible for what had happened to the Blue Stockings?"

With an effort the girl answered: "Franklin Parlmee!"

CHAPTER x.x.xII

ONE CHANCE

It was like a staggering blow. While it confirmed Stillman's theory that Parlmee was the chief rascal of the conspiracy, it shattered the supposition that Weegman, a blind dupe, wholly unaware of the truth, was being cleverly manipulated as an unconscious tool. The foundation of that hypothesis melted away like sand before hydrolytic force.

Locke turned again and looked at the reporter. The latter, standing like an image of stone, was staring questioningly and incredulously at Virginia Collier. He, too, realized that this confirmation of his belief had brought a portion of the postulation fluttering down like a house of cards, and he was seeking a mental readjustment.

Janet, frozen with lips slightly parted and eyes wide, was aware of it also. She was about to speak impulsively when Lefty detected her and made a repressing gesture.

Miss Collier felt that she knew the reason for the sudden silence that had fallen on every one, and a faint flush crept back into her cheeks.

She appeared to be humiliated and ashamed, as well as sorrowful.

"I understand," she said, in a low tone, "how it must seem to you to hear me say such a thing about Mr. Parlmee. I have trusted him. I believed in him, even when my father was losing faith and confidence. I clung to my own faith, and it hasn't been easy to abandon it, even in the face of proof. My conscience or something taunts me occasionally.

I--I've cried over it, and I've fought against it. I haven't dared see him since my return--since I found out the truth--for I knew I should listen to him and believe in him in spite of everything. I wanted to face him and accuse him, but Weegman persuaded me to wait. He said it would merely hasten the crash if we let the scoundrels know they were suspected."

"The scoundrels!" exclaimed Locke. "Then he told you that more than one was concerned?"

"He claims that a man named Garrity is operating in conjunction with Franklin Parlmee."

Another staggerer. To Virginia, Weegman had accused Garrity. Mutely the southpaw appealed to Stillman. The reporter's forehead was puckered in a puzzled manner; he caught Lefty's glance, and shook his head slowly.

"When did he name Garrity, Miss Collier?" he asked.

"When he called on me to-day--this afternoon," was the answer. "He has been at work trying to get at the truth."

Locke improved the opportunity to whisper in Janet's ear: "Keep still!

Don't say a word--now."

Although she did not understand why he wished her to keep silent, she nodded. He had been right in other matters; it was best to let him have his way in this.

"My niece has been very much upset," said Mrs. Vanderpool. "It has practically made her ill. She hasn't felt much like seeing people, and therefore Mr. Weegman's advice to keep quiet was easy to follow."

Weegman had urged Virginia to remain in obscurity, not to let her friends know she was in New York; that was evident. He had convinced her that by doing so she could best a.s.sist him in his pretended task of trapping the conspirators. And while she kept quiet, those conspirators were hastening to carry through the work they had planned.

"Miss Collier," said Lefty, "do you think it would be possible for your father to come home at once? Do you think he is strong enough to stand the voyage? If he can do so, he had better come. He should be here now."

"I don't know," she replied.

"Give me his address and let me communicate with him," Locke urged.

"He should know something of the truth, at least."

Virginia was persuaded, for Mrs. Vanderpool agreed that it was the best course to pursue. The southpaw was elated; he felt that at last he was getting a grip that would enable him to accomplish something. If he could baffle the rascals now, it would be a feat worth while.

Mrs. Vanderpool was called away to the telephone.

"Auntie has been very kind to me, in spite of her quarrel with father,"

said Virginia, when the lady had left the room. "They have not spoken to each other for years. It is so ridiculous, so childish, for a brother and sister who have been devoted! Both are stubborn. And yet Aunt Elizabeth is the kindest, gentlest woman in the world. She lost an only daughter, and she says I seem to fill the vacant place. She has made me feel very much at home."

Then she began chatting with Janet about things of mutual interest. Locke joined Stillman, who had walked to the far end of the room.

"This Weegman is either a fool or much cleverer than we thought him,"

said the reporter swiftly, in a low tone. "I don't believe he's a fool."

"How have you figured it out?" Lefty questioned. "It was a mistake to think him not wise to Parlmee. And why, if he is hand in glove with Garrity, did he tell her that Garrity was concerned in the miserable business?"

"He told her that to-day?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he tell her before? Weegman is in town. Have you seen him?"

The pitcher told of his meeting with both Weegman and Garrity, and how he had defied them. Stillman's face cleared a little.

"Look here, Locke, that fellow Weegman will double cross any one. You put him next to the fact that you were wise to Garrity. The whole bunch must know that Collier has fired his crooked doctor. Of course, Dalmers notified them. After talking with you, Weegman began to realize that the whole plot might fall through. He lost no time in beginning to hedge his bets. He's trying to fix it so that he'll fall safe if the business blows up."

"But why did he tell her of Parlmee? We thought he didn't know about that."

"I'm not as sure about Parlmee as I was," admitted the reporter frankly. "Weegman has been trying to blacken him to her right along.

I'll own up now that it was an anonymous communication that first put me on the track of Parlmee. There have been others of the same sort tending to incriminate him. I've wondered where they came from. Now I think I know. Weegman is the answer."

"By Jove!" exclaimed Lefty. "You believe it was he who directed suspicion toward Parlmee in the first place?"

"You've got me. That being the case, instead of being a dupe, this Weegman has put something over that we didn't suspect him of. He's after Collier's daughter, and it would help him if he could turn her against his rival."

Locke's face cleared. His relief was evident.

"This is all speculation," said the reporter hastily. "Don't be too quick to accept it as a settled fact. Parlmee's behavior has been suspicious enough to require some explaining from him. Perhaps he can clear it up. We know Weegman has tried to put the Blue Stockings on the blink, and we're dead certain he hasn't knowingly done so as the a.s.sistant of Parlmee. Now how do you figure on that?"

"Parlmee's innocent, as I fancied. Weegman is the chief rascal."

Stillman smiled. "In which case he's beginning to find himself caught in a quicksand, and he's trying to save himself by climbing out over his pal, Garrity. He'll swear he had no finger in it. Garrity won't dare accuse Weegman of being an accomplice, for by doing that he would acknowledge that there was a conspiracy. Weegman is in no danger in that direction of anything further than such private revenge as Garrity may seek to take."

Lefty turned back and approached Virginia and Janet, addressing the former: