The Holly chieftain., 1923-03-15
William MacHarg
Edwin Balmer
c.,sHsA. !. Lis.l.. ss.~ = o..s.s

till he looked toward her. then sig
nailed him to come over. She got
down, and they stood together follow
Ing the play.
"You know poloY' Hhe questioned
him. as she saw the expression Of
| appreciation In his face as 4 player
daringly ''rode-off" ar antagonist and
| saved a cross" Ghe put the ques-
tlon without thought before she rec
ognized that she was obeying her ia
TIERS instructions.
II understand the game somewhat y
Eaton replied.
Have you ever playedf"
ut seems to deserve It's reputation
as the summit of sport" he replied.
| He answered so easily that she
could not decide whether he was evad-
ing or not; and somehow, just then,
she found 1t impossible to put the
simple question direct again.
Good! Good, Don!" she cried en-
Enthusiastically and clapped her hands
as Avery suddenly raced before them,
caught the ball with swinging, back
handed stroke and drove It directly
toward his opponents goal. Instantly
whirling his mount, Avery raced away
after the ball. and with another clean
stroke scored a goal. Everyone about
cried out in appreciation.
"He's very quick and clever, isn't
hep Harriet said to Eaton.
Eaton nodded ''Yes; he's by all
odds the most sklllful man on the
field, should say"
The generosity of the praise i'm
PEELED the girl, somehow. to qualify 1t.
But only two others really have
played much-that man and that"
"Yes. picked them as the expert
enced ones" Eaton said quietly.
"The others-two Of them, at least
are out for the first time, think"
They watched the rapid course Of
the ball up and down the field. the
scurry and scamper of the ponies
after 1t, then the clash Of melee.
Two ponies went down, and their
riders were flung. When they arose,
one of the least experienced boys
limped apologetlcally from the field.
Avery rode to the barrier.
Il say, any Of you fellows, don't you
want to try it2 We're just getting
warmed up"
| Avery looked over to Eaton and
| gave the challenge direct.
| Care to take chance?"
Hnrriet SantOine watched her com.
panion; sudden flush had come to
his face, which vanished, as she
turned, and left him almost pale: but
his eyes glowed. Avery's manner in
challenging him, as though he must
refuse from fear of such fall as he
| just had witnessed, was not enough
to explain Eaton's start
"How can II" he returned.
If you want to play, you can,"
Avery dared him. "Furden''-that
was the boy who had just been hurt
will lend you some things; hisll just
about fit you; and you can have his
mounts"
Harriet continued to watch Eaton:
the challenge had been put so as to
give him no ground for refusal but
timidity.
"You don't care tot" Avery taunted
him deftly.
why don't you try it?" Harriet
found herself saying to him.
He hesitated. She realized 1t was
not timidity he was feeling; 1t was
something deeper and stronger than
that. 1t was fear; but so plainly It
was not fear of bodily hurt that she
mo od ipsffnnffx-o1v,
sympathy. He looked swiftly at
Avery. then at her, then away. He
seemed to fear alike accepting or re-
fuslng to play; suddenly he made
decision
"I'll play"
He. started instantly away to the
dressing rooms; few minutes later,
when he rode onto the field, Harriet
was conscious that, In some way, Ea-
ton was playing part as he listened
to Avery's directions.
Avery appointed himself to oppose
Eaton wherever possible, besting him
in every contest for the ball; but she
saw that Donald, though he took 1t
upon himself to show all the other
players where they made their mis-
takes, did not offer any instruction to
Eaton. One of the players drove the
ball close to the barrier directly be-
fore Harriet; Eaton and Avery raced
for 1t, neck by neck. Eaton by better
riding gained little; as they came
up, she saw Donald's attention was
not upon the bali or the play; in
stead. he was watching Eaton closely.
And she realized suddenly that Don
aid had appreciated as fully as her.
self that Eaton's clumslness was
pretense. 1t was no longer merely
polo the two were playing; Donald,
suspecting or perhaps even certain
that Eaton knew the game, was try
Ing to make him show 1t, and Eaton
was watchfully avoiding this. Just In
front of her, Donald leaning forward,
swept the ball from In front of Ea-