1895-]
the campus you hardly recognized me. Papa has been wondering
what could be the matter with you. I was afraid I had done
something to hurt your feelings, but mamma’s afraid you are sick.
Oh, Fred, if I have offended you or you are not well, please do
tell me, ’ ’ and the tears began to gather in the pretty black eyes,
and there was a quiver in her voice.
Fred was touched, and he said tenderly: “Well, I am sick —sick
at heart.”
‘ ‘ Then why didn’t you come to me, ’ ’she pleaded. ‘ ‘ You always
used to bring your troubles to me. ’
This was more than he could stand. Suddenly turning he
seized both her wrists in a grip like a vice, and in voice so low
that she could hardly hear him, he said: “ Carrie, don’tyou know
why lam heart sick? Haven’t you read it, can’t you feel it—
hasn’t my every action told you. that I love you despairingly,
desperately ? I have been trying my best to keep you in happy
ignorance of it, but now you have wrung it from me. Forgive
me, but I can’t help it.”
It was a very queer sensation to him to suddenly find her pretty
head resting on his shoulder and hear a happy sigh, “ Oh Fred,”
but he had become somewhat accustomed to it before he again
spoke: “Carrie, he said, I thought Archie Custer —”
“Oh don’t talk about him,” she broke in; “lam sick and
tired of him. He’s been hanging around me so long and can
never take a hint. ’ ’
‘ ‘ But people said you were —’ ’
“ Oh, I know people said lots of things, and papa was going
to tell Mr. Custer some pretty plain facts if he did not soon quit
his attentions. He was all right enough in the summer when
there was no one else; but, oh, lie’s been such a nuisance this fall.
‘ ‘ Then why did you look up into his face so admiringly that
day between the halves when we whipped Hamford ? ’ ’
Carrie laughed softly before she replied: “You dear old fellow,
is that what has been the matter with you ? Why I was only
listening to him saying what a hero you were.”
Fred did not reply, but she felt the mighty muscles contract
under his coat sleeves as he drew her closer and kissed her on the
forehead. Not only Archie Custer but a number of other gentle-,
men and ladies too —for Fred had his card well filled—wondered
what had become of their partners, but only Bessie Harland saw
them emerge from behind the screen with the happy light in their
A Football Hero.