Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-06

could fill = gap made 10y the herculcan
Tom Meriweather. The only question
remaining was whether Betty Will
Hams would keep Tom sway from the
final game.
Every effort was made 10 provide for
this contingency both by keeping a
watch on Tom and having the next
best outside man. Watkins OF 90.
ready 70 take his place in case Tom
was ilched away by the girl. or
course that meant defest but there
must be some one to ill the gap.
l was one Of the men appointed TO
watch Tom Meriweather from the
time he got out of bed on the morning
OF the match game till the fight was
on. I arose at 6 and was in his room
by Z. The bird. or. rather. the winged
monster. had flown. ! learned that he
had left the evening before, but no
one knew where he had gone. When
I reported the fact TO Gummerton he
looked as II he had been struck by a
bullet. IT'S all up with u.s." he said.
she's got him and will keep him I'LL
its too late for him to play the game"
asked the captain If we hadn't better
see Bill about it. and he said no. Bill
couldn't do anything; we'd better keep
away from him; the matter only irri-
tated him.
Gummerton notified watkins that he
would probably have to play. The
managers discussed the matter as to
what to do to get hold Of Tom Meri-
weather. but nobody was willing to go
to Betty Williams home and drag the
big fellow out. There were hopes that
he would turn up at the last moment.
The game was to begin at 8 O'Clock.
but could be STAYED of till half past g.
There was a train coming from Boon
ton. ten miles up the road. where the
Delilah lived. due at our station at
quarter past 3. l. with two other fell
lows, was at the station all the morn
ing watching the arrival Of every down
train. But at noon we gave ii up and
went to dinner.
At o'clock there was the usual roar
ing on the field, the crowds on the
side of each college shouting them
selves hoarse before the game began.
Tom had not arrived Watkins was
in harness and expecting to play. Gum
merton was in despair. He didn't call
the game till :25. AS the men were
lining up the big man came over the
fields and on to the ground. The sin
gular part OF IT was that he had his
football clothes on. ! say IT was sin
gular because he was supposed to have
come from the last train.
tell you there was a rousing cheer
on the part of our fellows when we
saw him. Gummerton gave a yell like
100 "a ,aA a.,
his place in the line, and the game b.
gan.
remember when Tom appeared
looked about for his brother TO sec
how Toms appearance would affect
him. I looked everyw here, but no Bill
Neriweather could l see. | mention
this partly because ] thought it sinHu-
lar that Bill should not attend the
game and partly because it bears on
the mystery. Inquiries later showed
that Bill wasn't in his room at the
time the game was played.
I'm not going to describe the game,
for beyond the fact that It was won
almost exclusively 10y Meriweather's
work it has nothing to do with the
stra nge aspects Of the case. When our
men were making their last count a
few minutes before the end Of the last
half | saw man jump the fence on
the other side of the gridiron and say
something TO the crowd there which
produced a commotion. Then a shud-
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