Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-03
The BLUE
PenlHlana19.
By PHILIP KEAN.


fectfve foil for the bronze brightness
skin, the red of her lips. Today she
wore blue-a trim tailored gown of
deep colored CLOTH a little cocky felt
hat and great bunch of yiolets that
outshone all the other blues except that
OF the pennant which she carried at
the end of a slender cane,
"You beauty Holden said under his
breath as he took his seat beside her
on the grand stand.
She turned quickly.
'Oh, Irwin" her face was brilliant
with color "its worth everything to
see you again! Aunt Sue" she said to
the lady beside her, this is Irwin Hol-
den, the famous halfback OF two years
ago"
1.-THE king is dead! Long live the
kingP' Irwin quoted solemnly. "There
have been so many famous halfbacks,
Helen, that 1t isn't any wonder that
Mrs. Mcdonald doesn't remember me-"
"But do remember" Mrs McDon-
aid assured him. "Helen has talked Of
you so much-and," she hesitated, "of
your accident"
II haven't been able to walk well on
two feet SINCE" Holden said grimly,
"and this Is the first game l have
dared let myself see. 1t makes me
wild"
ITO think that you can't play" Hell
ems tone was sympathetic.
'"To know | can't ever do things that
make a man worth whlley' bitterly.
"But you have done 50 many things
that are worth while, and they tell me
that you are writing book"
"Oh, a book" His tone was scorn-
full
'You might have let me know what
you were doingr' she complained. Il
think our old friendship deserved that"
He glanced down at her.
"Ah, our friendship" he said. 81
had two good feet when we cemented
that Helen. wasn't dummy on
crutches."
Erwin" she flashed out reproachful-
", "as II that made any dlfferenceP
"But II does make a difference" he
said as he bent over her. "You know
you worship strength in man, don't
you2"
Yes" she agreed quietly. "but not
always mere physical strength"
"The one isn't much without the
other Look at those fellows now"
Down the field came the teams. The
bands of the opposing sides crashed
out the good old tunes. college yell
succeeded college yell, and the banks
Of spectators stretching up and up on
the seats in solid masses of blue and
crimson were agitated to uproarlous-
ness.
isn't 1t finer Isn't II finer" Helen
said breathlessly, having cheered the
blue team to the echo,
Holden nodded.
''They are bound to wln," he said.
"They are made Of the right stuff"
II only know one Of them personal
~" Helen told him--"Van Dorm"
Hes the strongest man In the lot,
He's an ideal halfback."
che is ideal in more ways than one"
she agreed
He flashed quick glance at her,
II have heard you thought So"
'Who told your"
''SOme of the Fellows"
She turned her back ON him squarely
II didn't suppose that you talked me
over with the fellows" she said over
her shoulder.
II don't" uncomfortably, "but one
couldn't help hearing that Van Dorm Is
awfully daffy over you"
$50 were you--two years ago"
She said 1t darlngly. giving him a
glimpse Of flaming cheeks and indlg-
nant eyes, and then once more he was
forced to contemplate the knot OF
bronze hair under the cocky hat
His face went white, but he said
quietly, I'VE are missing the best OF
the game" and turned his attention to
the field.
All about them people were absorbed
by the play Aunt Sue. unlearned and
unlettered In football lore. was obllvi.
GUS to everything else. These two
alone thought Of other things.
1t was at Van Dorn's touchdown that
the place went wild
"Oh, he's great great. greatr' Helen
enthused as she waved her penuant
frantically II haven't seen anything
like Il since the last game you played.
Irwin. Oh. do you remember the little
blue pennant that made you pin TO
your sweater for auckland 1t didn't
bring you luck"
"No." he said duly, 1T didn't bring
me luck. lost the game lost the
strength l glorled ln--I lost you. Hell
en-"
mo, no." she protested: ''you knew
you always had my friendship. Irwin"
"But | didn't want friendship, and
you knew 1t and knew It. And I
hadn't the right to ask for anything
else, and so l kept away from you.
But after two years OF separation the
temptation to see you was too great. so
! sent you the tickets and asked you
to some to the game"
isIhR wholR world WAS changad vvhan