Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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most rabid devotees. Like all beginners, he was а con- sistent loser, and this had culminated in a “blowup” with the “governor.” As a result he was forbidden to play the game and his allowances were split in half. Tonight, unable to resist its lure, he had sought the Clandestine Club, as Lamont had named it. Not much persuasion was needed to induce him to join in a game. De Forrest, until tonight, had succeeded admirably in hiding his pent-up hatred for Don Scott, but as the latter kept losing he was unable to keep from gloating. “Ном much are you out, Поп?” queried Richard- son, as the players pushed back their chairs. Four hundred and ten dollars, came the laconic response. The questioner whistled. It might have been worse, put in De Forrest. “Oh, by the way, Scott, could you oblige me with that two hundred? I want to be going. Without looking up, Scott said “I haven't got it. The others looked at him askance. Aha, so you were betting on your nerve, sneered De Forrest. But then, he continued, in a careless sort of manner, that surprised the others, your I. O. U. will do just as well. You can pay me any time. I’m not in a hurry for it?” “I wonder what's happened to make that fellow so generous all of a sudden, communed Lamont to himself. There must be something behind that. Surprised at the matter-of-fact way in which De Forrest had passed off his violation of the rules of the club, Don hastily scribbled out his note, and said: “Га never have ventured to risk it, but, you see, I didn’t think that hand could be beaten and I thought I was playing safe all the way through.” Oh, that's nothing, the other hastened to assure him, smoothly ; I would have done the same thing my- self under those circumstances. It was a hundred-to- one shot that you'd win— but you lost. А bit of hard luck, that's all. Forget about it. When you get some change come around and see me. Scott passed him the note and De Forrest carefully placed it in his wallet and prepared to take his de- parture. As he reached the door he paused and, turn- ing, said: Well, good night, fellows, and pleasant dreams. The last words were meant for Scott, who was staring moodily at the upturned cards. Lamont was the only one who caught their double significance and the malevolent glare which De Forrest levelled at the unseeing Scott. Then the latter went out. After his departure Lamont made haste to obliterate all signs of the night's activities. The four roomed in the same building and it was but a short time after De Forrest left that the four were asleep in their beds. Scott roomed next to Lamont and Richardson: Longstreth was across the corridor. The former's thoughts before sleep were a strange co-mixture of sor- row and anger. He bitterly arraigned himself because his developed penchant for gambling had led him into a debt which would be very embarrassing to meet if De Forrest should demand payment. If his father by any chance should hear of his latest break, his career at Andover was finished. Layton De Forrest is the last person in the world whom I ever wanted to be beholden to, he thought, and then dropped off to troubled slumber. A week later came the biggest track meet of the year—the dual meet with Phillips Exeter. Intense rivalry caused each event to be contested fiercely, and as Don Scott romped off with the quarter-mile and half-mile runs in record time, the deafening acclama- tions of the vast throng of under-graduates and specta- tors gladdened his spirit. Don had his eyes fixed on a spot of white, away up in the grandstand. Eleda Rossalind had come all the way from New York to see him run. He had no eyes for a figure that sat crouched back in a near-by seat. Layton De Forrest bit his lips vindictively as Scott breasted the tape in the half-mile. He alone took no part in the cheering as the Andover section rose en masse at Scott’s record-breaking run. For two years De Forrest had been the recipient of these hoarse cheers. Now, he was forgotten. It was unbearable. He rose and elbowed his way through the happy throng. Their gayety but added to his hatred of Scott. “Tonight is the time, he muttered, and strode out from the park. Lamont, ever watchful, was the only one to see the actions of De Forrest and he mentally resolved to keep his eye on him. With Eleda and her father seen off on the New York Express, Scott’s happy frame of mind vanished. A sort of premonition seized him. That note for the two hundred weighed heavily on his shoulders. He returned thoughtfully across the campus to his room just as Lamont entered next door. The riotous celebration of their overwhelming victory over Phillips Exeter was at its height. Bonfires dotted all parts of the campus and myriads of sparks shot to- ward the darkened sky. Somewhat cheered, Scott walked to the dormitory window to look out at the merry-making. There came a slight knock at his door. quickly, he said: “Come їп.” There was no greeting. the other’s mind. Well, I’m here, began De Forrest. “I expected you, said Scott quietly. De Forrest looked taken aback, but continued iron- ically: “Your sapience seems to be infallible. I won't take your time, though. I guess you know what I’m here for. I need that two hundred. You see,” he went on suavely, unexpected contingency— Oh, never mind that stuff, broke in Scott. “The truth is, De Forrest, that I expected you'd give me at least two weeks to raise that money. At present I'm Turning In walked De Forrest. Each knew what was in

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= чш and. Ë= i. Cards and Cups By Victor DEWEY WOODRUFF Jao» ENI O limit.” FE Oe. 9 М г You heard me, Scott. The others ed are out of it. Are you crawling just be- Кабо A cause you lost a little more than usual tonight? The speaker made no attempt to veil the sneer that crept into his voice near the end. Disregarding the other's overt taunt, Scott answered, I'll raise you fifty on that, De Forrest. The slight tremor in his voice caused action on the part of one of the three who had withdrawn from the game. “I say, Layton, he demurred, turning to De For- rest, this is going a bit too far! You remember when we organized the Clandestine Club the limit was placed at twenty-five and has never been raised since. Besides, Don has lost enough for one night and it's after one. If ‘Skeets’ Murray should see a light in here at this hour there'll be the devil to pay. What do you say? Let's call it off for tonight and throw those hands away. The other two, who had stood back aghast as the stakes had leaped to fifty, to a hundred, and then one hundred and fifty, nodded vigorous assents. “What do you say, Поп?” asked one. “It's up to him, replied the other, indicating De Forrest. “You three are out of this, said De Forrest, harshly, and I'm going to finish this hand. And as for you, Lamont, I don't care whether the Dean catches us ог not. I’m through after tonight. I'll go you fifty more, Don. Come on, be a sport; make it an even two hundred and I'll call your hand. Lamont's face blanched with anger at the tone and import of De Forrest's words. Make it two hundred, replied Scott, doggedly. Now, what have you got?” and he flung his cards, four kings, upon the table. A wave of relief swept over the faces of his three 7 friends as he swept the cards out. De Forrest must have a literal something up his sleeve to be able to raise against that hand, remarked Lamont to Al Longstreth and Eddie Richardson. A sardonic grin overspread De Forrest's face as he heard Lamont's remark. “There is but one hand that can beat a straight flush, he said; and that's a royal flush, and there it is. With that he laid his five cards upon the table and they told their own tale. De Forrest had won. The hectic flush died out of Don Scott's cheek and a pallor overspread his clear-cut profile. There was a listless droop to his shoulders as he arose, a bit un- steadily. “That finishes me, he muttered to himself. His three friends looked at him sympathetically. It was common gossip about Andover Prep that Don Scott's propensity for gambling had incurred the violent displeasure of his millionaire father, who had lately declared that if any more of his son's gambling debts were sent to him it would result in his removal from school. De Forrest made no bones over his dislike for Scott. Ever since the Westerner had deposed him as Ше athletic idol of the school the former had endeavored to make things as unpleasant as possible for the youth- ful half-miler. De Forrest, rather than be beaten by a young cub, as he derisively called Scott, sullenly quit the cinder-path, giving as a pretext superabundance of studies. When Kenneth Lamont, with Longstreth and Rich- ardson, had sought to form a poker club to beguile the leaden hours of joyless New England nights, they had not sought to enlist as a member Layton De Forrest. But the latter had pleaded so eagerly that it would have been a breach of good-fellowship to bar him. Don Scott had merely tried the game as an idle pastime, but its :ascination soon made him one of its

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The governor refuses to send any more until broke. the first of the month. Frankly, I can't pay you.” De Forrest's truculent countenance became still more forbidding, as with unbridled malice he said: So that's the way it stands. The governor's wise to his son's antics and closes down on the money bags However, I want that money, and there's only one thing which will save you from being fired out of college, both by your father and the ignominy of your position as a bluffer, if I choose to divulge. This is the proposition. His eyes refused to meet the unwav- ering look of Scott as he continued. Scott, Г want those two cups which you won to- day. Had a thunderbolt struck him Scott could not have been more dazed. He turned alternately hot and cold and involun- tarily made as if to spring at De Forrest's throat. That anyone could stoop to so low an act was in- comprehensible to him. He meant to show this cur how such a fellow should be treated. At the change which he had wrought in the other's bearing, De Forrest stepped toward the door. His ashen face showed the fear in which he held Scott in his present mood. You dog, ground out Scott, you come to me with that vile offer. Get out of my room before I throw you out. Shaking like an aspen leaf, the other hastened to comply, but, with his hand on the door, he essayed a parting shot. Remember, Scott, it means the end of your college career. It means your finish at Andover. What are two cups to you? No one will be the wiser. I want them because I promised to bring back to my folks the two trophies which you won and which I was supposed to have won. They don't know I've quit the game. My father was a track star. If he knows Гуе failed he'll be heart-broken. What do you say? You'll never miss them.” Scott hesitated. His father's threat to withdraw him from college seemed distant and dim. That De Forrest would expose him he had no doubt. Не form- ulated a plan of action. Why not exchange his two trophies for the slip of paper. If De Forrest's tale was true, he was in no danger. Att any rate, forestall- ing De Forrest would give him some respite in which he could raise money enough to redeem the cups. They would be only out of his hands a few days at the most, or even a few hours. If De Forrest had conceived a plot to do him fur- ther harm it was unfathomable to him. His story was logical. Should he give up his college career rather than stretch his principles for a short time? It would not besmirch his athlete standing. Eager to carry his point, De Forrest burst uncere- : moniously into his train of thought. “There's no alternative. You accept or you're through for good. Scott determined to risk everything on one stroke. “АП right, he said. Remain here and I'll get the cups. Without further ado he grabbed his hat and coat and bolted through the door. Breathing more easily, De Forrest sat down weakly in a chair and lighted a cigarette with a trembling hand. Synchronously, in the adjoining room Bruce Lamont arose from his cramped position’ at the keyhole of the connecting door and flung himself on the bed. “That of all things. I never would have believed it of Don Scott, he groaned. What can have hap- pened to him?” As he began thinking more rationally the thought came to him that Scott was playing a game deeper than De Forrest's. Lamont never for a moment entertained the thought that De Forrest's story was true. He knew that De Forrest’s departing look the night of the poker game boded no good to Scott. On their way to Scott’s room after the hilarious cele- bration, Longstreth and Richardson stopped to pick up Lamont in his room. His grave face convinced them that something was badly wrong. Не did not respond to their good-natured raillery, but sat with unseeing eyes on the floor. Should he take these two into his confidence? Could they be trusted? He knew the transfer of the cups did not end the little drama being enacted in the other room. It would be well to have two such staunch ad- mirers of Scott on his side. Lamont’s reticence only served to accentuate his two friends’ curiosity. Lamont decided to tell them everything, and he did. Luckily for De Forrest's mind Richardson's and Longstreth’s anathemas and execrations did not reach his ears. “Со easy, fellows,” whispered Lamont. He's in there yet, pointing to the next room. “We'll stay here and await developments. Scott's promise to get the two cups was in itself a hazardous undertaking. With a score of others, the trophies rested on a case in the Dean's inner office, ready to be presented after chapel exercises on the morrow. Scott kept in the shadow of the clustered buildings and reached the office of the Dean. It was the work of a moment to find a window carelessly left open by the absent-minded professor. With a twinge of mental torture, he selected his two hard-earned prizes, and carefully closing the window he retraced his steps to the dormitory. De Forrest had not moved. A complacent smirch overspread his callow features as Scott re-entered with the trophies. Scott eyed him repellently, loathingly, as if he were near a snake. Не said: “Неге are the cups; now give me that I. O. U.”