Evening star., 1934-01-21
Basket Ball Mystery Story

COuIQ not spare the from MS fOO
to attend that game, but he heard all the
details late that evening in the Sweet Shop
Tom Bronski had played through only part of
the contest, and had not been up to his usual
form. But Jack Daniels had again run wild,
and, backed up by the sterling playing of Ben
Bragg and the North guards, had succeeded in
winning another victory for North.
BY the following Friday night Tom was COM
pletely back In shape, and the incident of the
lights had been almost forgotten. Ted, how
ever, stubbornly refused to put it out Of his
mind. The whole thing was darned queer, he
told himself, and he would never be satisfied
until he found the explanation.
The next game, played in the North High
gym. was against Lincoln, and another hard
fought contest was expected. Ted again was
on the bench as usual but in the excitement
of watching the fast play Of both teams he
completely forgot how Tom had been slugged
two weeks before
The third quarter well along, and Tom
Bronski was playing at the top OF his game
North, which had held one or two point mar
gin consistently, had now stretched its lead to
four points, through couple Of beautiful shots
which Tom had Gagged. Then of the Lin
coin guards committed foul on Tom and he
took his place on the free throw line to try
to add another point to Norths lead.
THE players were lined-up, tense and ready
to fight for possession of the ball if Tom
missed. And he did miss. There was a mad
scramble of players under the basket and back
against the wall Then suddenly-the lights
went OUT
The crowd was stunned. Ted leaped to his
feet, yelling with the rest for the lights, fear
full of what might happen to Tom in the dark
ness. In his own mind he was now suddenly
sure that this was to be a repetition of the
slugging two weeks before
It seemed like hours before old Joe, down
in the furnace room, got to the switch and
closed it, but it was really less than half
minute When the binding glare finally did
flood the gymnasium once more it revealed
sight that threw every spectator into shouting,
angry excitement.
On the floor under the North basket
swarmed tangled mass of struggling, fighting
boys Five players were involved, and Ted
saw at glance that they were Tom Bronski
Ben Bragg, Jack Daniels and two big Lincoln
players. He was one of the first of the crowd
that rushed out the floor, and he joined
the referee. the coaches and several of the
calrner members of both teams in separating
the battlers.
TED paused only long enough to see that
Tom Bronski was still on the floor, rubbing
his ankle. His face was white with pain or
anger. Jack Daniels had got to his feet, but
blood streamed from his nose, and the mouth
of one Of the Lincoln players showed q nasty
cut. He these things. and then he turned
and literally fought his way to the door and
the stairway beyond Down the steps he raced.
into the furnace room Nobody was there but
old Joe gazing at the master switch and swear
ing voluby. Ted turned and tore into the
visiting teams dressing room. The place was
deserted.
Back through the shower room he ran, and
into the North locker room. He examined
every inch Of the premises There was not q
person TO be found in the entire basement.
Moreover, the outside door was locked-and
would stay locked until the game was over.
CTo be continued next SundAy4