“I made a mistake,” Dolph again acknowledged, still speaking calmly. “You must remember that I belonged to a city team, and that team was coached by a professional. You should have heard him talk to us! Why, there wasn’t a man in the whole bunch that he didn’t give a tongue-lashing. If I had begun to talk that way to the boys here——”
“You started in,” declared Don. “Just because a professional coach could talk that way, you tried to show off by doing so; but you found out it wouldn’t go in this town, and so you had to come down some. That’s about the size of it.”
Renwood’s face had been pale, but now a sudden flush burned in his cheeks, making it plain that Scott’s words and bearing were arousing his pride and anger.
“Let’s not talk of that,” he cried, perceiving it would do no good. “We were beaten at Highland, Saturday, and the eleven must be strengthened somehow if we are to stand a show with them when they come here next Saturday. If we had you back in your old position, I think there would be a chance of making the team strong enough to meet those fellows. I confess that I’m sorry I offended you. I’ll even apologize if you demand it! I’ll do anything to make the team strong enough to beat Highland.”
Don laughed harshly. “You don’t know me, Renwood,” he declared. “I have said I was done with you, and I mean it. I’ve said I’d show you up as a sneak and a traitor, and I meant that, too! I know you for just what you are. You pretend that you are anxious to beat Highland. Bah! You’re hand-and-glove with Phil Winston, the Highland coach. You owe him favors, which you are trying to pay by throwing down Rockspur. I know it! That strikes home, doesn’t it! Wait—keep still! I’m going to say all I have to say to you right here and now. You must think me a soft fool to come back onto the team with you after what I know about you! You know that I know it, too! You know I know you slashed the suits and cut up the football in the dressing-room under the grand-stand! Yet you had the crust to face me and try to paste that onto me! As far as you have been able you have hurt me, for the most of the boys are idiots enough to believe I did that job. Now, you are sore on Bentley because he happened to get a touchdown in the Highland game, and you want to dump him off the team. You see that you must do something to hold your grip with the boys and make them believe you are trying hard to put a winning eleven on the field, and so you’ve planned to dump Bent and make a bluff at doing something all at one lick. Renwood, you’re so thin I can see through you like window-glass. Some day all the fellows will see through you. I’ve told you just what I think of you, and you can chew on it.”
Don was about to turn away, but, panting and pale, Dolph caught him by the arm, huskily exclaiming:
“Stop! I’ve got something more to say to you! I see I’ve made a fool of myself for nothing. I might have known you were unreasonable and obstinate enough to keep the thing up. Talk about bluffing! You are the champion! After stealing my knife right from under my nose in the club-room, you saw a way to hurt me, as you fancied, and you went up to the field and slashed the suits and cut up the football with that knife, which you left there so that it would seem I did it. Then you told a preposterous story about encountering me in the room and tried to make the boys believe I attempted to stab you. I was willing to overlook all that, not because I forgave you, but because I was anxious for the good of the eleven; but now I want to tell you just what I think, as you have pretended to tell me. You’re a miserable——”
“Dolph! Dolph!” cried a voice, and Zadia, having entered by the gate, accompanied by other girls, rushed between the two panting lads, who were about to fly at each other’s throats. Putting a hand against the breast of each, she held them apart with all her strength, gasping: “You shall not! You shall not! Stop this minute. Remember your promise to me, Don Scott!”
Don did not draw back immediately, but at last he took his eyes, full of intense rancor, from the face of Renwood and turned them upon Dolph’s pretty, trembling, imploring sister. Swiftly he melted before her entreating gaze, but he could not resist the impulse to hurl a last savage shot at the fellow he hated.
“Some time, Renwood,” he said, “your sister will not be at hand to come between us. Then look out for yourself!”