The Benson signal., 1919-06-14
Outside the
Game
: ~
By 6. B. HACKLEY
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)

finer Thanksgiving day-sunny and
dry, and the big yellow chrysanthe-
NUNS Herman Seidler, Camden's flor
greenhouses near the football grounds,
quivered under the volume of yells Of
the boosters of the rival teams.
Camden and Warren colleges had
taken up athletics in general and foot
ball in particular a little late in life;
perhaps for this reason their enthu-
Siasm was all the greater.
And nearest the two warning teams
were the two most enthusiastic foot
ball men in Camden tOwn-Branham
Riker, the young professor Of Greek in
Camden college, and Clement Sea,
bookkeeper for Grimes & Quincy, the
Camden wholesale grocers.
Seas enthusiasm was Of the silent
variety. Though his blue eyes saw
every move, he stood as quiet as
post. But Riker's black eyes flashed;
his dark, Spanish-looking face glowed
or glowered as his team scored or lost.
Pretty Jane Fithian, the daughter
of the professor of mathematics,
watched the two enthusiasts rather
than the game, a worried expression
in her hazel eyes.
Clement Sea loved her-that she
knew, and Riker was going to tell
her this evening that he loved her.
Which did she care for? Clement
had never asked her to marry him;
he had not even called on her since
Professor Riker had been going out
with her so much, but it wasn't that
he didn't wish to-but because he be-
lieved she loved Riker. That, too, Jane
knew.
If she accepted Riker she would
be the envy of the other girls Of the
town. Most any Of them would think
they were lucky to marry college
professor that looked like Branham
Riker.
Out driving the day before in Rik
er's new car, Jane saw Clement, re-
leased from his afternoons work,
watching the teams at practice.
"It's a bit queer to see a sissy in
terested in football" Riker re-
marked.
Indeed Clement Sea is no sissy"
Jane averred Indignantly.
Riker laughed. "Well, anyway,
he's the kind that gets henpecked
after marriage and tells everything
he knows to his wifey!"
Jane laughed bit unwillingly,
but under the spell of his fascination
her resentment soon died.
"Warren! Warren !" The yell was
louder, more exultant than ever. A
crowd of visitors from Warren
waved Warren's colors, red and blue.
The white and yellow of Camden,
too, waved defiantly, but it was evil
dent that Camden was playing a los
ing game. Then the ugly thing hap
pened.
The spectators had crowded up
close. Jane and one other only saw
sudden mad act. The next instant
the game was won by Warren. When
the "wounded' were helped off the
field, it was found that the coach of
the Warren team was suffering from
three fractured ribs. When the
young man was treated at the home
of President Sayre, black and blue
spots were found on his side, inf1ict-
ed by the hard heel Of shoe not in
the game and not by accident. Who
did it?
Jane Fithian could have told. Jane
who, in the twinkling of an eye, had
had the cobwebs of fancy swept from
her brain and the illusions Of attrac-
tive personality, unaccOmpanied by de-
cent self-control, dispelled.
The college president entertained the
winning team at dinner, and at two
o'clock feast, held at the home of the
English professor, Shelby Frederick,
Riker was one of the guests; Jane
Fithian, an animated creature, with
brilliant flags of color in her cheeks,
another.
Soon after the guests left the dining
room Jane sought her young hostess in
the dressing room.
you're not going, Jane?" she ex-
claimed in surprise. "Are you for
RcCLluS we E6 dll SOlLS lOl a
ride this evening-and-and isn't Pro-
fessor Riker taking you"
"I've got to go home, Elsie" Jane an
swered. "They're all dining out
there's nobody there, and I've just re-
membered something I-perhaps will
come back after a while"
"Let Upton take you in the car If
you must go, Jane" her friend suggest
ed. Jane shook her brown head.
mo, want to walk"
"I'm behind on my work since I've
been losing sleep of night. I've got
to go to the office now and begin
long afternoons work." Jane had
heard a man say in refusing a din
ner invitation at the grounds that
morning.
When Clement Sea took down the
telephone receiver the voice that
csme over the wire sent his heart
leaping.
r11o 70 no