The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-03-24

drop on the first lap than come in
strong. You could go another now and
not feel it. and Hughes is still blowing
hard"
Skeeter WINGED. He wasn't at all in
the mood for postmortems. Clearly
the coach hadn't seen Hughes foul him
| OH the turn.
Maybe she had seen! That helped
some. 1t was the sole shred of con
ISOLATION upon which he could build
new hopes.
The coach laid hand on his shoul
| der
THAT will do. Stick to it, Skeeter
You'll put kink in somebody's high
gear yet"
What If Hughes wins the point tro
ply and gives her the medal?" inquir-
ed Skeeter bluntly. hardly conscious of
| speaking aloud his inmost thoughts.
The coach smiled. "Who is 'her'?"
| he asked.
Skeeter grew pink even to his neck
and ears.
"Hu-Hughes," he stammered. Hes
hes my rival"
The coach was still at sea, but prov
| ed himself human being by saying
after pause:
Hughes will hardly win; he's
TOO much like hunk of cheese"
assisted Skeeter.
Skeeter throughout the remaining
days Of the week was unable to shake
off nagging, insistent sense Of disap-
pontment. Could he have beaten
Hughes in the trial heat If he had
known what the coach had told him
before the race? Could he have beat
en- If Hughes had played fair? Skeeter
knew that he could. TO u youth Of
seventeen all things are possible.
Perhaps Shelters disappointment
would have been less had he known,
| as the coach knew. that Hughes would
not last long as runner. because he
refused to train properly.
Nor did Skeeter realize the benefits
of his own self denlals and sacrifices
for the sake Of athletics.
When Saturday came Shelters tou-
sled head was one Of the thousands that
rose in, an undulating mass on every
side of the vast amphitheater surround.
ing the track.
There was so much to see that It
made Shelters eyes hurt. 1t was worse
than trying to watch n three ringed
circus.
Leather lunged. brass throated
youths swarmed along the course,
shouting and yelling; scores Of scanti-
ly clad runners scurried about with
numbers pinned to their backs, and
Shelters trained eye inspected dozens
and dozens of pretty girls.
Excitement and confusion were in
the atmosphere. The sonorous voice
Of the megaphoned clerk echoed and
vibrated through the hall. Occasion
ally the starters pistol spoke above
the din Of the cheering.
Then came the hush, the patter of
running shoes on the resined floor and
the breathless instant at the finish. In
only twinkling. 1t seemed to Skeeter.
race was won or lost.
He unconsciously ran each Of them.
At the sound of the gun his muscles
grew taut. and his fingers gripped the
seat. During the intervals between
the events his eye scanned tier after
tier of seats. He found her at last.
She was sitting In a box. surrounded
by swarm Of Forest school cohorts,
armed with banners and megaphones.
and Hughes. Immersed I'm an imposing
orange sweater. was leaning toward
har IN n mast on ra cpinU rnonnor
Skeetcr grew pale with envy as he
realized that he had been beaten again.
Then he muttered:
He looks like hunk Of schweit-
zer!''
Bruton won the fifty yard hurdles
with ease The Forest school,. how.
ever. had lost the pole vault as well
as the $50 yard run. The relay
would add FIVE points. But the 300
was shaky. and, rs Skeeter had pre-
dicted, the winning Of the 40 yard
dash would determine the school to
which the point trophy would belong.
Would Hughes win?
Involuntarily Skeeter glanced across
toward her box. Where was she?
Her chair was empty! Where was
Hughes?
First call for the scholastic HOT
The clerk was calling Hughes race.
A moment later he shouted again:
Hughes. Forest school. No. Cor
There was no reply. and the clerk
repeated the call.
Again Hughes failed to respond.
Skeeter In panic slipped from his
seat and hurried 60 the dressing room.
Where is Hughes?" he asked breath.
Iessly. "They have called his race,
and he hasn't shown up yet"
We've looked everywhere for him."
spoke up several OF Hughes friends