The Jester of St. Timothy's

the fall handicap track games were held Scarborough lingered after the Sixt

races this afternoon, Mr. Upton," said Scarb

" said Irving. "I've no

, I guess, can tell you all that h

not so popular, because he maintained a certain dignity and reserve; even Westby seemed to stand somewhat in awe of Scarborough. He was, as Irving understood, the best oarsman in the school, captain of the school crew, besides being the crack shot-putter and hammer-thrower; if he and Collingwood had tog

g the noon recess, borrowed his revolver,

call them back and penalize the fellow that fouled-a yard to five yards, according to your discretion. But there

rving. He inspected the r

equipped. If any questions come up-I'll be down at the f

ut the sports to come, without giving any in

thirty yards over Lou Coll

un, because of football; he hasn

persuaded him it's his duty to run. And I guess he's good eno

in of the Pythian trac

es

ain of yours-th

Mor

in the quarter now," said Bl

e late in starting-just as Dave Pratt is apt to be just a shade prev

s Pratt get o

he steals another

d Blake indignantly. "You Corinthi

so overanxious and eager always-and he's apt to get away without realizing-w

rving did not

ion of Scarborough half an hour later, whe

nted to serve," said

n a bench, dangling one spike

t! K

," said S

ame over to Scarborough, who was untangling a knot. He passed his hand over Scar

his hands. "Corinthians out for the mil

ed by clumping on the

y brushed his hair, which had been disarranged in the process of undressing; he was like a cat in respect of his hair and could not endure to have

ers. So for that day the football players rested from their practice; many of them in fact were entered in the sports-though, like Collingwood, without any special preparation. The school turned out to look on and cheer; when Westby left the athletic house, he saw

ng by the track, measuring off the handicap distances with a tape line; Barclay walked along it, and summoned the different contestants to their places. By the time that Westby ha

near Irving, and fixed hi

re for you, isn't it

un as fast as you can talk, Westby." Irving d

that; it looks to me as if you ought

ned from the humorist, and raised his voice. "

ile run, and Irving felt that the intensity with which he had given the commands had been rather absurd. It was annoying to

wards the finish line. He found

ng your arduous duties su

ad he ever felt the desire. Why it should come upon him now so poignantly he did not know; but on this warm October afternoon, when the air and the sunshine were as soft as in early September, he wished that he might be a boy again and do the things which as a boy he had never done. To be still young and looking on at the sports and the strife of y

panted by; and he threw back his head and came down more springily u

idered the strongest runner in the event for the Corinthians, and they urged him on with cries of "Heath! Heath!" as he made the turn. "You've got

at the next turn; and when he came down to the turn in front of the crowd, running heavily, Collingwood overhauled and passed him. It was rather an unfeeling thing for Collingwood to do, right there in front of the crowd, but he was

ion; was Westby taunting the plucky and exhausted small boy? And then Irving

estby's you

, "Good work, Tom; you set the pace just ri

saying anxiously, "There's no use in your wearing yourself al

cky kid," s

by to take such an i

e green oval, not far away, and when on the third lap Heath came by in the lead, ran with him a few moments and shouted advice and encouragement in his ear; he had to shout, for all the Corinthians were shouting for Heath now, and

crowd clapped the boy. "Quit it, Tom!" cried Westby. "Quit it; there's no sense-" but Price went pounding on. Westby s

; Collingwood passed Bolton, but in doing so did not lessen Heath's lead-a lead of fully fifteen yards. So they came to the last turn, to the long straight-away home-stretch; and t

n was jumping up and down beside him, waving his arms; Irving had to crane his neck and peer, in order to see beyond those loose flapping sleeves. He saw the light-haired Collingwood and the black-haired Heath, coming down with their heads back and their teeth bared and clenched; they were only fifteen yards away. And then Collingwood leaped ahead; it was as if he had unloosed some

nearer, to applaud. They clapped and called, "Good work, Price!" Westby met him about fifty yards from the finish and ran with him, saying, "You've got to stick it out now, Tom; you can't drop out now; you

the skirt of his dressing gown. Barclay picked the boy up. "Oh, I'm all right, sir," said Price,

who stood by. "Wouldn't his mother give me the dickens, though, for letting him do that!" But Irving, who heard, knew there w

o the performance of the individuals. They had not been individuals to him-merely strange figures performing in an arena. But here, where he knew the boys and walked about among them, and saw the different manifestations of nervousness and excitement, and watched the muscles in their slim legs and arms, he became himself eager and sympathetic. He stood by when Scarborough went on putting the shot after beating all the other competitors-went on putting it in an

g; the runners were all well matched and the handicaps were small. And so, after firing the revolver, Irving started and ran across the field as hard as he could, to be at the finish; he arrived in time, and stood, still holding the revolv

place counted five points and second place two; in these games third place did not count. So if a Co

t the track was wide, and two of the boys had handicaps of ten yards, one had five yards, and one had three.

Mason lined up at scratch,-Westby having drawn the inside place and being flanked by the two

rill in his voice. "On your marks!" They put their hands to the ground; he ran his eyes along them to see that all were placed. "Set!" There was the instan

traightened up and faced towards him questioningly. "Just til

him a delighted

any assistanc

g slipped in one cartridge, he began fi

e shot to start,"

ll you back because of a false start.-Now then,-all ready

. Irving saw it and instantly fired a second shot, and shouted, "Come back, come back!" The ru

g spoke with some asperity. "I sh

replied warmly. "My foot slip

red Irving, "and I shall h

ent, I tell you,

ughtn't to set him back," sai

s discretion," spoke

s a yard," af

ly contemptuous. Irving measured the distan

ace behind the oth

w! On you

they all got away safely, and Irvi

saw the scratch men forge ahead, and mingle with the handicap runners; in the confusion of flying white figures he could not see who were leading. But the tumult near the finish grew wild; arms and caps were swung aloft, b

, IRVING HAD NOT

ping that it had been Westby. And then out from the crowd burst Westby and rushed toward

sion, his eyes blazed; never before had Irving seen him when he had so lost control o

thing hard, then turned his back an

O