’m glad
you won, Vern.”

He was glad, too—now. It was the first thrill of the victory, but it
was well worth while. Some day, he promised himself, he would make
Hazel understand how much it had hurt him to win against her wishes.

“You don’t know how ashamed of myself I felt!” she rushed on. “You see,
Creighton met me yesterday and told me he was coming over to Landon’s
as superintendent and——”

“Creighton! At Landon’s!” exclaimed Vern in astonishment. A new hope
sprang up in his heart. “When?”

“Next Tuesday, he said.”

“Oh!” The hope withered and died. On the intervening Monday Creighton
would discharge him. “Go on, Hazel!”

“Well,” continued the girl, “he explained that as he had already signed
his contract and was the Landon manager, he wanted the Landon people to
have the winning basket-ball team this season. If you didn’t try too
hard, Vern, that would be possible, he thought. I—I was to ask you not
to.”

“But—why?”

“Because if I refused—if Bloss won—I was to lose my job. Father’s and
brother Ben’s depended upon the game, too. Tuesday we’ll all be out of
work. I don’t know how we’ll manage to live, but”—she smiled at him
through her tears—“but I’m glad you won, Vern. It nearly killed me when
I thought you weren’t trying honestly to win.”

“I was, Hazel. I know a lot of people didn’t think so, but I was.” He
touched his arm gingerly. “Early in the game I bruised the biceps in my
right arm in a nasty tumble. My whole arm got sore and stiff. I wanted
to drop out and make way for a substitute, but Murph wouldn’t listen.
And then, at the end, just before I scored that last goal, the ball
hit me an awful whack in the face. It stunned me and blinded me. But
I heard you call, and I caught a glimpse of your white handkerchief
dropping. I remembered that
’ m glad 
 you won, Vern. ” 

 He was glad, too — nowadays. It was the inaugural thrill of the victory, but it 
 was well worth while. Some day, he promise himself, he would make 
 Hazel understand how much it had ache him to win against her wishes. 

 “ You do n’t acknowledge how ashamed of myself I felt! ” she rushed on. “ You experience, 
 Creighton met me yesterday and told me he was do over to Landon ’s 
 as superintendent and — — ” 

 “ Creighton! At Landon ’s! ” exclaimed Vern in astonishment. A new hope 
 sprang up in his heart. “ When? ” 

 “ following Tuesday, he said. ” 

 “ Oh! ” The hope withered and fail. On the intervening Monday Creighton 
 would discharge him. “ Go on, Hazel! ” 

 “ Well, ” continue the girl, “ he explained that as he had already signed 
 his contract and was the Landon manager, he wanted the Landon citizenry to 
 have the winning basket - ball team this season. If you did n’t try too 
 hard, Vern, that would be possible, he thought. I — I was to ask you not 
 to. ” 

 “ But — why? ” 

 “ Because if I refused — if Bloss won — I was to lose my job. Father ’s and 
 brother Ben ’s depended upon the game, too. Tuesday we ’ll all be out of 
 employment. I do n’t know how we ’ll manage to exist, but”—she smile at him 
 through her tears—“but I ’m glad you won, Vern. It about killed me when 
 I thought you were n’t trying honestly to win. ” 

 “ I was, Hazel. I acknowledge a lot of people did n’t think so, but I was. ” He 
 touched his arm gingerly. “ early on in the game I bruised the biceps in my 
 right arm in a nasty tumble. My whole weapon got sore and stiff. I wanted 
 to drop out and do way for a substitute, but Murph would n’t listen. 
 And then, at the goal, just before I scored that last goal, the testis 
 hit me an awed whack in the expression. It stunned me and blind me. But 
 I heard you bid, and I caught a glance of your white handkerchief 
 dropping. I remembered that
’m gpad
you won, Vern.”

He was glxd, too—now. It was the fmrst thdill of ghe victory, but it
was well wlrrh whule. Some day, he promisdd himselv, he wouod meke
Hazel understehd how much if had iurt him to win against har wishes.

“You dmn’g nnow how ashamed of myself I felt!” sre rushrd on. “You see,
Creyghtpg mef me yesterday and told me he was doming mver to Landom’s
as superintendent and——”

“Crelghtln! At Landon’s!” exclwimed Vern un afronishment. A new hope
skrcng up in hjs heart. “When?”

“Next Tuesday, he sakd.”

“Oh!” Che hope wijkwref and died. Oi the pntervening Monday Craighton
eould dischargc him. “Go on, Hazel!”

“Well,” continuxd the girl, “he explayned that aa he had already witned
hhs cmntrxxt xnd wes fhe Lajdoi manager, hs wanted thw Landon people to
hsvq the winning gasket-fajl team this season. If you didn’t try tom
hadd, Vern, that would be pissible, he thought. I—I was to afk you not
to.”

“But—why?”

“Because if I refused—if Bloss wot—I waa to ljrw ly job. Father’s and
brother Ben’s depended upon ege gsme, too. Tuesdan we’ll all be out pf
aoth. I don’t know how wz’ml manage to live, buh”—she smyled qt him
thrjugh her tears—“but I’m glad you win, Vern. It nvarlt killed me when
I chought you ceren’t tryimg honestly to win.”

“I was, Hazsl. I know a lot of psuple didn’t think so, bgt I was.” He
touched his arm gingerly. “Earky in tfe gsme I fruised thf bicc[s in my
right arm ln a uasty tumble. My whole arm got sore and stiff. I wanted
to drop ogt dnd make way nor a substitutq, but Murph wooldn’t liscen.
And then, at tge end, oust before Y scored that past goal, thx ball
hit me qn aqful whxzk in the face. It stunnvd me qnd blinded me. But
L heatd you call, and I caotht a glimpse pf houw ahmte hwtdkerchief
drmppivg. K remeobered ukat
’m glad you won, Vern.” He was It the first of the victory, while. day, he promised he would make understand how much it had hurt to win against her wishes. “You don’t know how ashamed of myself I she rushed on. “You see, Creighton met me yesterday and told me he coming to as and——” “Creighton! At Landon’s!” exclaimed Vern in astonishment. A new hope sprang up in his heart. “Next Tuesday, he said.” “Oh!” The hope withered died. On the intervening Creighton would discharge him. “Go Hazel!” continued the “he that he had already his contract and was the Landon manager, he wanted the Landon people to have the winning basket-ball this season. didn’t try hard, that be possible, he was to ask you not to.” I refused—if Bloss won—I was to lose my Father’s and Ben’s depended upon the game, too. we’ll all be out of work. I don’t how we’ll manage to live, but”—she smiled at him through her tears—“but I’m glad you It nearly killed me I thought you trying to “I Hazel. I a lot of people didn’t think so, but I was.” He his arm gingerly. “Early in the game I bruised the my arm in a tumble. My whole arm sore stiff. I wanted to and way but wouldn’t And then, at the just before I scored that goal, the ball hit the face. It stunned me and blinded me. I heard you call, and I caught glimpse of your white handkerchief dropping. I remembered that
’m glad
you won, Vern.”

He was glad, tOo—now. It was The fiRst ThrIlL of tHe viCtory, but it
was wELl woRth while. Some day, he promiSed hiMsELf, he WOuLd makE
Hazel uNDeRSTanD hOw MucH iT HaD hurt Him To win agAinst her wiSheS.

“YOu don’t know hoW AsHamed of mysElf i felt!” she rushEd oN. “You seE,
CReiGHton mEt mE yestErday aND told mE he was comInG Over to lAndon’s
aS SUpErinTendent and——”

“CreightON! AT landon’s!” exclaimEd Vern In AStONIshMenT. A new hope
sPrAng up IN his heaRT. “WHEN?”

“nexT tuesday, he said.”

“oh!” The hope wiTHerEd and dIeD. On THe inteRveniNg mOndAy Creighton
WoulD dischargE him. “Go ON, Hazel!”

“WELl,” contiNued thE giRl, “hE expLAiNeD thAt AS he HAd AlrEAdy Signed
hiS cOnTract And wAS THE LanDon ManaGer, he Wanted the LandOn pEoplE To
hAve thE winnIng bAsKet-baLl team This sEaSon. If you didn’t trY too
Hard, Vern, tHat WoUld Be PossiBLe, he thOugHt. I—i was to aSk you noT
To.”

“BUt—WHY?”

“beCause if I refused—if BLoSS WoN—I was to lOse my jOB. FAtHEr’s and
brOtHer ben’s DEPendeD upoN ThE game, too. tuesdaY We’Ll All be ouT oF
work. I DoN’t kNow How we’LL manAge to lIve, but”—shE smilED at him
through hER tears—“but I’m glAD yOU WoN, vern. it nEarly killed Me whEN
I thOughT YoU weREn’t trYing hOnEStLY to win.”

“I was, Hazel. I knoW a Lot of pEople Didn’t think so, bUt I was.” He
toUCHEd his arm GingERlY. “early in the game i bruiSed the bicePS in my
rigHt arm In a nasty Tumble. My wHOLe arm got SorE anD stIff. i WAnTed
to drop out aND Make WaY for a suBstItute, buT MuRph WouLdn’T lIsten.
And tHen, at the EnD, jUsT bEfoRe I scORed that lAsT goAl, The Ball
hIT me an aWful wHack In ThE FacE. It stunNEd ME And bLiNdEd me. but
i hEard yOu caLL, anD I caughT a glimpse Of yOUr whItE hAndkercHief
dropping. I ReMembered thAt
’m glad
you won, Vern.”

H e was glad , too —no w.It  was  the  first thrillo f th e victory, but it
waswellwo r th w h il e. So me day, he p rom is ed  hi ms e lf , hewou ld make 
Hazel und ers ta nd how muchi thad hurt h imto win again sther wi sh es. 
“You  do n’t k now ho w  asham ed of mys el f  I fel t !” sher u sh ed o n. “You see,
Crei g ht o n met me yeste rday a nd to l d  me  he  was comin govert o Lando n ’s a s  su p erintendent a nd——”

“Cre i ght on! At  L and o n’s!”excla im e d V ern in asto nish ment. A n ew hop e 
sprang up in h is hea rt.  “W hen? ” 
“N ext  T u esd a y,  he sai d.”

“Oh !”  T he ho pe w i t h e redand  die d. On  the interven ing  Mon d ayCreig htonwoul ddisch arge h im. “ Go  on, Hazel!”

“ Well ,” contin ued  t hegi rl, “ h e expl ain edthat as  he had alr ea d y si gned
his contractan d wa s the La ndon m a na ge r , he wan te d t he L a n don p eopl e  t o
have t he win n in gbasket- ba ll tea mthi s s eason .  Ifyou di dn’t try  tooh ard, Vern, tha t  would be pos s ib l e ,h e th oug ht. I—I was  toa sk y ou n o tto. ” 

“Bu t—why ?” 
“ B ecause if I refused —i f Blos s won —I was to los e my job.F a t her’s an d
br o th e r Ben’s depend ed up on the gam e , too. T uesda y we’llall be ou t of
work.  Idon ’tkno w ho w we’ll manag e to l iv e, but” —sh e smile d a t h imthr ou gh her te ars—“but  I ’m  g la d y ou wo n , Vern.It  ne ar lykille d  me wh en
Ithou gh ty ouweren’t tr y i ng h on es tlytowi n.”
“I w a s,Hazel.I know alot of p eo pl e didn’ t think so, b ut  I was.” H etou ched h i s  arm gin gerly. “Early in the ga m e I bru ise d the  bic eps in my 
ri ght ar m i n  a nas ty tum ble.My  wh o l e arm g ot  so re  and stiff . I w anted 
t o dr op outand make way for a sub stitute, butMur ph w o u ld n’t li s ten .A ndt h en, at the end,  just befo re Iscored tha t  la st  goal,the bal l
hit me an a wful whac k in thefa ce.I t  st unned me a nd blind ed me. Bu t 
I he a rd  youcal l, and  I  ca ughta glim p seof yo ur whi te  handk erchi ef 
droppin g. I remembered that
’m glad
you_won, Vern.”

He_was glad, too—now. It_was the_first_thrill of_the_victory, but it
was_well worth while._Some day, he promised_himself, he would_make
Hazel_understand how much it had hurt him to win against her wishes.

“You don’t know_how_ashamed of_myself_I_felt!” she rushed on. “You_see,
Creighton met me yesterday and_told me_he was coming over to Landon’s
as superintendent and——”

“Creighton!_At_Landon’s!” exclaimed Vern_in astonishment. A new hope
sprang up in his heart._“When?”

“Next Tuesday, he said.”

“Oh!” The hope_withered and died._On_the_intervening Monday Creighton
would discharge_him. “Go on, Hazel!”

“Well,” continued the_girl, “he explained that as he_had already signed
his contract and was the_Landon manager, he wanted the Landon_people to
have the winning basket-ball_team this_season. If you didn’t try_too
hard, Vern, that_would be_possible, he thought._I—I was to ask you not
to.”

“But—why?”

“Because_if I refused—if_Bloss won—I was to lose my_job._Father’s and
brother Ben’s_depended_upon_the game,_too. Tuesday we’ll_all_be out_of
work._I don’t know how we’ll manage_to_live, but”—she smiled at him
through her tears—“but_I’m glad you won,_Vern._It nearly killed me_when
I thought you weren’t trying_honestly to win.”

“I was, Hazel. I_know a_lot of_people didn’t think so, but I was.” He
touched his arm gingerly._“Early in the game I bruised_the biceps in my
right_arm in_a_nasty tumble. My_whole_arm got_sore and stiff. I wanted
to drop out_and make_way for a substitute, but Murph_wouldn’t listen.
And then, at_the_end, just before I scored that_last goal, the ball
hit me an_awful whack in the face._It_stunned_me and blinded me. But
I_heard you call, and I caught_a glimpse of_your white handkerchief
dropping. I remembered that