Quarter-Back Bates

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  CHAPTER XXII

  BLASH CONFESSES

  "Of all the crazy things to do!" marvelled Stanley when, at noon, Dickfound him in the room and poured out the story to him. "Didn't you knowyou weren't supposed to give your plays away like that?"

  "I guess I didn't think," said Dick humbly. "Besides, Leonardville isso far away----"

  "Well, no use talking about it now. Who do you suppose found theletter?"

  "I don't know. Most anyone might have. I dare say I tossed the wholething at the barrel and this piece that Mr. Driscoll has fell outside."

  "Yes, that's probably what happened. But where did the bit of envelopecome from? I don't believe that was any accident, Dick!"

  "What do you mean?" demanded Dick warmly. "Do you think I lied----"

  "Hold your horses! What I mean is that--well, I don't know just what Ido mean, Dickie. But if anyone had found that piece of your letter andwanted to get you in wrong all he'd have had to do was----"

  "I thought of that, Stan, but there isn't anyone who----"

  Dick stopped and frowned thoughtfully at his chum.

  "Sure of that?" asked Stanley.

  "You mean----"

  "Yes, how about Sandy? He has it in for you, hasn't he?"

  "Why, yes, I suppose he has. In fact, he's got a good big mad on withme, Stan. I didn't tell you, but I had a bit of an argument with himyesterday afternoon, down in front of the door. Do you think----"

  "What sort of an argument?" asked Stanley suspiciously.

  So Dick told and Stanley snapped his fingers in triumph. "Why, it's asplain as the nose on your face, Dick!" he exclaimed. "Either Sandy cameacross that piece of paper by accident or he saw you tear the letterup and pulled it out after you'd gone on. Then, yesterday, he fixed upthat envelope to look as if it belonged with the letter! You didn't askMr. Driscoll when he got them, did you? Well, I'll wager it was lastnight after you'd thrown Sandy down or early this morning. It's a meanthing to say, Dickie, but the thing's just the sort of low-down plotthat Sandy would take to. Shows ingenuity, too, and Sandy's no fool ifhe is a villain! Why don't you put it up to Driscoll straight! Tell himyou know who supplied the incriminating evidence and tell him the wholeyarn."

  "But I can't prove anything, Stan."

  "What of it? You can show that Sandy has a grouch and Driscoll's gotsense enough to see that the whole thing's a frame-up."

  "I might go to Sandy and make him tell the truth," said Dick.

  "How? He'd deny it, of course. Well, after all, it's no great matter.Driscoll doesn't believe it and when your Leonardville chum gets herehe can clear the whole thing up. Best thing to do is forget it. It'srather a sell on Sandy, though, for I guess he expected Driscoll wouldfire you off the team!"

  "Somehow, I sort of think that's what he meant to do when I first wentin there."

  "You can bet he didn't want to, Dick! He'd have done it, though, in aminute, if he hadn't believed your story! Say, if I was you I'd take acrack at Sandy, just for luck, the first time I met him!"

  But Dick didn't do that. For one reason, he didn't see Sandy that dayor the next. He might have found him, but Dick concluded that his holdon the position of substitute quarter-back was uncertain enough atpresent without taking any chances! And so long as Sumner was coming toclear up the mystery he could afford to keep the peace.

  That Thursday evening Dick and Stanley went over to Goss to call onBlash and Sid. It was raining great guns and an easterly gale washowling around the corner as they set forth and, in violation of aschool ordinance, cut across over the turf and under the drippingbranches of the bare lindens. Both Blash and Sid were home and hailedthe arrival of visitors with loud acclaim. Blash pulled the "larder,"as he called it, from under the window-seat and produced sweet crackersand the remains of a pineapple cheese and Sid disappeared down thecorridor and presently returned with three bottles of some sweetlysickish concoction called Raspberry Squash. It was a quarter of an hourlater, after the last bit of cheese had disappeared that Dick, idlyprospecting among a pile of magazines and papers--many of them movingpicture monthlies--happened on something that brought an exclamationof surprise to his lips. The others, busy in talk, neither heardnor noted and Dick drew from concealment a copy of the Leonardville_Sentinel_, opened with the third page uppermost. "Leonardville isProud of Him," read Dick. He didn't go on, for he remembered the restof it perfectly. Instead, he laid the paper down and thoughtfullystared across at Blash, who was too enthralled in the conversationto heed. Dick kept silence for a good five minutes. Then, to theastonishment of the others, he broke in rudely and abruptly.

  "How did you know about my brother Stuart, Blash?" he demanded.

  "Eh? What's that?" Blash looked across startledly, striving toaccommodate his mind to the sudden change of subject.

  "And where we lived?" pursued Dick.

  "Oh! Well, what was it you asked?" Blash floundered badly, his gazefalling on the paper under Dick's hand and a slow grin curving thecorners of his mouth.

  "I asked how you knew my brother's name and where he lived," explainedDick calmly; "and where we lived."

  Blash looked at Dick for an instant and then shrugged. "I didn't,Dick," he answered. "That part was supplied by the editor man, Isuppose. All I did was to write a nice little press notice and mail itto the paper. I didn't know whether they'd use it, but they did, andthey sent me a copy of it. Honest, now, don't you think journalism ismy line? Dana or Bennett or any of those top-notchers got anything onme, Dick?"

  Stanley was staring wide-eyed. "D-do you mean that _you_ wrote thatthing about Dick in the Leonardville paper?" he gasped.

  "Most of it," replied Blash modestly. "Of course, as I'm telling you, Icouldn't supply the--the intimate details."

  "Well, I'll be jiggered!"

  "Same here," laughed Sid. "Blash, you're as crazy a loon as they make!"

  "Seems to me," said Dick, "you've spent most of your time of lateworking practical jokes on me. After this I'll never believe a thinguntil I've made sure you're not at the bottom of it. Well, I wonder ifyou know that that tommyrot of yours here about my high school friendscoming to see Saturday's game started something."

  "Started something!" Blash asked eagerly. "No. What?"

  "Five of the fellows read that drivel and decided to follow thesuggestion. Blash, I hope you choke!"

  Blash had gone off into a gale of laughter. Stanley and Sid grinneddoubtfully, wanting to laugh, too, but fearful of wounding Dick'sfeelings.

  "O boy!" gasped Blash. "Dick, I guess we're more than even! I've paidin full, eh?"

  Dick smiled at last. "No, you still owe me some pennies."

  "Not a cent! You telephoned me that night at the movie house that Ineedn't pay the last seven and a half cents: or, at least, 'Uncle John'did!"

  "That's so," acknowledged Dick, laughing. "I'd forgotten."

  "When you get back," said Stanley, "you can read what I wrote on thepiece of paper one night. Remember?"

  Dick nodded. "Better tell me now, though. I never could stand suspense."

  "I wrote 'Blash will chisel a penny in two and send half as the lastpayment.' Was I right, Blash?"

  "Right as rain! Fact is, the two halves are in that top drawer overthere this minute. But you'll never get either of them, Dick. I've paidmy debts!"

  "You have," agreed Dick heartily. "You've more than paid them, and Ihope I'll live long enough to hand you back the change!"