Winfield told Sheila that his glasses had kept him from playing football, but had not hampered his work in the ’varsity crew. He could see as far as the spinal column of the oarsman in front of him, and that was all he was supposed to see once the race began.
He explained that his glasses had fallen from his eyes when he stepped on the stage at Leroy. That had been one reason why Eldon had got home on him so easily.
Evidently this unpaid account was still troubling him.
“I hate to owe a man a dollar or a kindness or a blow,” he said. “I’ve lost my chance to pay that man Eldon what was due, and I’ll never get another chance. Our paths will never cross again, I’m afraid.”
“I hope not!” Sheila cried.
“Why?”
“Because you’re both such powerful men. He was a football-player, you know.”
“Oh, was he?”
“Oh yes. And he keeps himself in trim. Most actors do. They never know when they’ll have to appear bare-armed. And then they meet such awful people sometimes.”
“Oh, do they? And you think he would whip me, eh?”