Evening star., 1935-12-08
Uqf'2n&aI&osalR2osts 2
ldd2 SCOOTER

Coach Bertwell was sitting In the
lounging room of the coaches quar-
ters. smoking long cigar, when Ar
mold knocked on the door and walked
in. Bertwell looked up casually. "oh,
it's you, Arnold .. sit down"
Chuck was so tired from the bus
ride he couldn't tell whether it was
fatigue or nervousness in Bertwell's
presence that made him so shaky.
He dropped into chair beside Bert
well.
For almost a minute Bertwell sur
veyed him In that calculating way
of his. Finally he spoke. Il sup
pose you know what you've done,
Arnold?" he asked quietly.
Chuck was silent. He felt no
answer was necessary.
you've violated mandate Of this
foot ball team. You left the squad
after a game. You neither showed
up at dinner, nor at the train. You
got back to college this morning look
ing like man badly in need Of
sleep I'd like an explanation. ]"
Il tell you, Coach" Chuck
stammered, II asked my girl to go
to the game. She came without an
escort, so thought ought to take
her home hurried back as
soon as ! could"
why didn't you ask my permis-
sion to leave the squad?"
II knew 1t was against the rules
to leave the team, Coach, and I fig
ured that if asked you. you'd refuse,
and then I'd leave anyway, cause
Nancy had to be taken home. knew
that it meant expulsion. But I
couldn't see any other way out of it.
Sorry, Coach"
Chuck set his ears and heart to
catch the words he felt sure were
coming from Bertwell. Words that
meant dismissal from the team and
meant campus disgrace. You know
me better than that, Arnold" Bert
well said calmly; there are always
cases that demand an exception to
the rule. I'd "a let you take Nancy
home"
For a minute Chuck was unable
| to speak. He felt ashamed of him
self for not having asked Bertwell
| to let him go. Thanks lot Coach, ="
he finally managed to say, and walked
out of the room.
Berkley met him as he came out
the door of the building housing the
coaches quarters. Sorry, Chuck,
awfully sorry. And to think you were
going like a house afire. Why, you'd
taken that team right through San
ford next week. I have no doubt
about 1t. Never mind, old boy. Buck
up!"
Chuck looked at him in bewilder-
ment. Whats up. Sam?" he man
aged to ask him.
Whats up?"
Sure. What are you feeling so
sorry for me about?"
cut the kidding, Chuck. Every
body knows about it. heard it in a
dozen places already this morning"
Heard what?"
THAT Bertwell threw you of the
team because you left the squad up at
Coke and went of on bender"
II what2"
ct don't know, Chuck. But the fel-
lows around the campus say you went
of on a bender. They said they had
it straight from the fellows on the
team"
"Well, I'll be darned."
"why, isn't it true, Chuck? Isn't
it?"
mo, 1t isn't. I did leave the team.
but only to take Nancy home. Then
I caught the first bus to Belleville
and came right up here. got in this
morning."
mol Bertwell was hurt about it,
but he understood"
Gee, that's greatl But you
shouldn't have run a risk like that.
would have taken Nancy back to
Greenwich had you askei me.
never thought of it. And now the
whole army Of campus prattlers are
digesting the choicest morsel of foot
ball gossip in weeks. They all think
Bertwell's Dounced you out on your
ear"
Let 'em think what they want.
Who cares?"
by the way, Chuck, I want to con-
/