Judging by the expression on his face, Vernon Judd was about as elated over scoring the winning basket for the Bloss team as a criminal in court would be over receiving a stiff sentence.
“And that’s just what it amounts to,”he told himself, marching glumly off the playing court. “My sentence is that I be fired in disgrace from the factory, lose my six-month test to prove my right to a desk with Judd & Co., and sacrifice whatever chance I had of winning—her.”
Somebody slapped him on the shoulder. He looked up irritably, only to discover that it was his father.
“Why, dad,” he greeted, “what in the dickens are you doing out here?”
“In town on business,” explained Freeman Judd cryptically. “I heard there was a basket-ball game to-night, and I figured I could find you here. Quite a game, eh?”
Vern clenched his hands. “A bigger, more important one than you think, dad.” It was hard to go on and explain that his job at the factory hinged upon the outcome, but he managed it bravely.
His father heard him to the end, without interrupting. Once or twice he frowned a little, as if there were some worry on his mind, but he offered no comment. When the boy was quite done, he looked at him steadily.
“You played to win?” he asked.
“Of course. You see, I——”
“All right. I wanted to be sure, Vern. Now, about this job proposition of ours. You won’t stick out your six months with Bloss, you say. Too bad you came so close, my boy, but you know I never budge an inch. A bargain’s a bargain with me.”
Looking up quickly, Vern fancied he detected a twinkle in his father’s eyes. But when he searched for it again it was gone.
“I’m not asking you to go back on your proposition,” he said. “I don’t know exactly——”
“Vern!”
It was Hazel Wayne’s voice. He whirled quickly, and took the hand she extended.
“I want to congratulate you, with all my heart,” she said. “I’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 caughta glimpse of your white handkerchief dropping. I remembered that other day—the first day I ever saw you—and I know absolutely I could shoot the basket. You really won the——”
“Listen, Hazel Wayne!” The voice was Creighton’s; his face was convulsed with rage. “Listen to me, young lady! You double-crossed me to-night, but you’ll pay for it. Out you go Tuesday, along with your old man and your kid brother—the whole kit and parcel of you. And I’ll see to it that you never get another job in this town.” He turned to Vern. “As for you, you young whippersnapper, I don’t have to wait till Tuesday. You’re fired! Understand? Fired! Just as soon as I can swear out a warrant——”
Freeman Judd stepped forward leisurely. “Just a moment,” he interrupted. “You can’t fire this young man.”
“Why not? I’m superintendent of the Bloss Company.”
“Wrong!” The elder Judd spat out the word with evident enjoyment. “Youweresuperintendent. But you can’t fire anybody now because you were fired yourself this afternoon at a meeting of the board of directors.”
“It’s a lie!” blustered Creighton. His eyes gleamed slyly. “If it ain’t a lie, though, I don’t care. I’ll be superintendent of the Landon works next week, and the Bloss Company will find——”
“Wrong again!” Freeman Judd stepped closer. “At five this afternoon the final papers were signed whereby the two concerns come under the same management and ownership. If it’s of any interest to you, I am the man who is merging them. I kicked you out of Bloss’ to-day after reading the reports of an expert accountant and a detective who’ve been checking you up for several weeks; I’ll make sure you stay out of Landon’s. So, Mr. Creighton, you see, you won’t be able to fire anybody from either factory.”
Creighton did not wait to argue. With a sudden leap, he lost himself in the crowd that was making for the outer door.
“Shall I go after him, dad?” asked Vern, his fingers working hungrily.
“No need,” smiled Freeman Judd. “He’ll run across some plain-clothes men just outside. Misappropriation of funds, malicious damage of property, and other charges to answer in court.”
Somebody plucked at Vern’s coat sleeve, and he looked down into Hazel’s startled eyes.
“Is he your father?” she asked, pointing.
“Why, yes! Let me introduce——”
“But he’s just bought both factories,” she said, “and he must be very rich, and—and I thought you were poor, working in the Bloss stockroom. I suppose now——”
“If dad’s new superintendent is willing, I’ll stick to my same job,” promised Vern; “at least, till I’ve been there a full six mouths. How about it, dad?”
“Vern, I’m going to like you better.”
“Thanks, dad. A little later, if you think I measure up, I want a desk job, with more money.” He looked into Hazel Wayne’s eyes once more. “Because, to tell the truth, I’m thinking about getting married as soon as the girl says ‘yes.’”
Hazel Wayne said “Oh!” But she meant “Yes.”
WISEHEAD: “All food when it is being thoroughly masticated contains the germs of tuberculosis.”Do-tell: “No!”Wisehead: “Yes, it does; because it’s in the last stages of consumption.”
WISEHEAD: “All food when it is being thoroughly masticated contains the germs of tuberculosis.”
Do-tell: “No!”
Wisehead: “Yes, it does; because it’s in the last stages of consumption.”