In the club house, as the excited victors dressed and discussed the events of the afternoon, Jacobs approached Larry Kirkland:
“Thank you,” he said simply. “I was wrong. My dad came over to see the game—and it would have hurt him if I had not played.”
Larry grasped the extended hand heartily. One, at least, of the opposition was converted.
CHAPTER XXIII
Helen Appeals for Help
The troubles that had beset Larry Kirkland since first he entered Cascade College appeared to be departing. The generous action of Jacobs, the deposed second baseman, in turning to Larry’s support and advocating his cause among the “sporty” students who had opposed him, appeared to clear the way to complete understanding. Only Harry Baldwin remained antagonistic and, since he had lost the support of many of his friends through his own behavior, his opposition carried little weight.
Larry was in an excellent humor as he dressed to call at St. Gertrude’s on the Thursday evening following the final game with St. Mary’s. The team was winning. St. Mary’s, Silver University and Pacific College teams had fallen before the victorious Cascade club, and only the strong team of the Golden University remained to be conquered to insure the championship.
It was small wonder that Larry Kirkland was jubilant. He had received a letter from Krag, congratulating him and warning him of the danger of over-confidence, and he had just succeeded, after a struggle that aroused the entire dormitory, in pinning Winans’ shoulders to the carpet. That wrestling match had been brooding all term and was renewed each time Larry prepared to call on Helen Baldwin.
Winans, defeated and all mussed up, was stretched upon the partially wrecked bed, jeering at his conqueror.
“I was doing it for your good,” he declared. “I was trying to save you from the wiles of a designing woman. Now you can go to your fate, but don’t blame me.”
“If you’re just jealous I’ll introduce you some day,” said Larry, refusing to be teased.