by Clair Blank
Chapter V
THE HOCKEY GAME
The Freshman class proved to have a very fine hockey team. The girls,including Phyllis, Gale, Ricky and Gloria, were all very agile, swiftand determined. The spirit of cooeperation which existed between themembers of the team was largely responsible for their victories. Theymade goal after goal in perfectly timed cooeperation. They triumphed overthe Sophomore team with such a crushing score that the whole Freshmanclass was delighted and held a party in their honor.
Then came the election of class president. Phyllis, to her astonishmentand delight, was elected the Freshman president. Valerie was electedsecretary. Altogether, the Adventure Girls were delighted to think twoof their number held offices in the class.
The room in Sunshine Alley became the headquarters for all sorts ofmeetings to discuss class activities. There was scarcely any time at allwhen someone wasn't there.
Still, with the activities of her office, Phyllis found time to practicewith the Freshman hockey team. They practiced often and diligently. Theteam was next scheduled to play the Junior class and that, they weresure, would be more difficult than the Sophomores. For one thing, MarciaMarlette was on the Junior team. That fact made Gale sure of a difficultencounter.
As the days went by the Adventure Girls could discover nothing new aboutthe strange events that had occurred to the Dean. Gradually theirinterest began to fade. Occasionally Gale saw the Dean and DoctorNorcot, but even she learned nothing new.
Gale left the Chemistry class on this afternoon without a moment'swasted time and went to the gymnasium and the lockers. There the girlswere gathering for the pending hockey game between the two classes. Someof the girls were already in their playing suits and Gale hastened intohers. Phyllis helped her into the pads which, as goalie, Gale needed.Phyllis, in her position of forward, preferred to wear as littleprotection as possible. She considered herself agile enough to dodge theflying sticks when in a tussle for the ball and was of the opinion thatthe shin-guards only deterred her when she was in a hurry.
There was a big turnout for the game. Janet and Carol had elected to tryout for the cheer leaders' club and they were on duty this afternoon tosee that their class should get a large measure of support from thefans.
Gale and the opposing Junior took their positions at the goals. Theteams were in line and the game began. The fans cheered lustily on theslightest provocation but there was no goal scored.
Marcia Marlette was playing a brilliant game, even the Freshmen had toadmit that. She was here and there and everywhere. She had the ballheaded toward the goal every chance she got. Once Gale parried adesperate shot of Marcia's that would have meant the first score had itbeen a little harder and a little straighter.
But the Junior team did not have the same spirit of cooeperation thatcharacterized the younger girls. Marcia was playing for personal glory.The girls could all see that. More than once, if Marcia had passed theball to a team mate who was in the clear, a score might have been made,but she preferred to play it herself and each time irrevocably lost.
Such was not the case with Phyllis and her team mates, however. They didnot hesitate to pass to one another. They were not playing for their ownbrilliant performances, rather for the game. They wanted their team towin and they did everything in their power to make it so. Sounconquerable was their enthusiasm that the score mounted in favor ofthe Freshmen. Goal after goal was made.
"Lucky for us, Marcia isn't particularly brilliant," Janet told Carol onthe sidelines. "If she didn't want to be the whole show herself, theJuniors would easily win over us."
"Treason in the Freshman class!" Carol frowned upon her. "Don't youthink we have a good team?"
"Of course," Janet said. "But look at Marcia. She is casting daggersfrom her greenish eyes at Phyl. One would think there was no one else onthe field but Marcia and Phyllis. They have been watching andcheckmating each other all afternoon."
"She would dearly love to wrap her stick around Phyllis' neck--orGale's," giggled Carol. "There they go!"
Marcia and a class mate were dribbling the ball ever closer to theFreshman goal. Gale was on guard. Phyllis and Ricky swept in to rescuethe ball and save the game.
There was a sudden mix-up of flying sticks, arms and legs. Two of theplayers sprawled into the goalie. Gale had a fleeting vision of MarciaMarlette striking out viciously with her stick before she went downunder the impact of another Junior.
Gale scrambled to her feet. The others did likewise--that is all butPhyllis. She lay perfectly still, her one leg twisted under her. Janetand Carol dashed out from the sidelines. A sudden hush had fallen overthe spectators.
"Phyl!" Gale cried and dropped beside her friend.
"What's the matter?" Doctor Norcot and Professor Lukens had appearedfrom among the spectators.
After a brief examination by the doctor, Professor Lukens picked Phyllisup in his arms and started toward the infirmary with her.
Gale tore off the padding of her position and ran after them.
"But the game----" mildly protested a Junior.
"Get another goalie," directed Gale and was gone.
Gale was forced to wait in the doctor's office. She wriggled impatientlyin the uncomfortable leather chair. Getting to her feet she walkedrestlessly to the window and around the room. There were a lot ofmedical books here which at another time would have interested herimmensely. However, now she could think of nothing but Phyllis, of thewhiteness of her friend's face and the stillness with which she had lainon the field.
The door knob turned and the doctor came into the room. She was in thewhite clothes of her profession and wore the professional smile.
"Phyl----" Gale said.
"She'll be all right," the doctor assured her, "but her leg isfractured."
"B-Broken?" Gale managed to whisper.
Doctor Norcot nodded. "She must have been hit with a hockey stick--avicious hit."
"But she will be all right?" Gale insisted.
"After a few weeks she will be as good as new," the doctor promised."Would you like to see her?"
"Oh, yes!"
Gale found Phyllis awake and grumbling. The sight of her friend madeGale's heart twinge with pity. Phyllis was trying so hard to be brave.
"I've climbed ivy trellises, even jumped out of an airplane with aparachute--and I break my leg playing in a hockey game," Phyllis saiddisgustedly. "A fine class president you picked!"
"We picked a good one!" Gale said quickly. "We----"
"In here?" a voice said and the door was opened.
"Hi," Janet said.
"We came as quickly as we could when we thought we could see you," addedCarol.
"Who won the game?" Phyllis demanded.
"We did," Ricky said, "because you played so well before----"
"Before Marcia Marlette cracked you with her hockey stick," Janet addedsavagely.
"She didn't do it," Phyllis said wearily. "No one can say who did it.Sticks were flying in all directions."
Janet said nothing more but she and Gale exchanged significant glances.The girls did not stay long after that. It was evident that Phyllis wastired and they thoughtfully took their leave early, but Phyllis detainedGale long after the others. Gale held her friend's hand until Phylliswas asleep then she softly left the room.
Slowly, deep in thought, Gale stepped from the infirmary building to thecampus. A chill night wind had sprung up. She turned toward thegymnasium. She was still in her hockey suit. She would have to go to thelockers and change before going to the sorority house.
Dinner had been an hour ago but she scarcely missed the comfort of hermeal. She had been so worried about Phyllis she did not realize how timehad flown past. Finding the janitor was an easy task. He unlocked thedoor to the gymnasium for her and she wasted no time in going to thelockers for her things. Stepping again onto the campus, now warm in herwoollen jacket, Gale caught sight of the Dean crossing the campus to herhome. De
an Travis beckoned to Gale and waited until the Freshman joinedher.
"How is your friend?" she asked immediately.
Gale told her.
"You missed your dinner, didn't you?" the Dean continued. "Come homewith me. We will dine together."
"Oh, but I----" Gale began confusedly.
"Forget I am the Dean for this one night," Dean Travis invitedhumorously. She smiled and Gale could not resist. "I've wanted to talkwith you often, Gale. You aren't merely one of the Freshmen to me, youknow. You are a friend."
Gale found the living room of the Dean's home cozy and warm. A wood fireburned in the fireplace. She sat on the divan before it and let thewarmth of the flames ease away some of the nervousness she still feltfrom her worry over Phyllis. The dinner was the best she had had atBriarhurst, at least she enjoyed it the most. She talked to the Dean asshe might have to one of the girls. There was no stiffness or formalitybetween them. She found herself telling the Dean about Phyllis and aboutthe letter she, Gale, must write when she returned to the sororityhouse. It was a letter to Phyllis' aunt, the cold, austere woman who waspaying Phyllis' tuition at Briarhurst. Gale did not like Miss Fields.She resented the way the woman so completely dominated Phyllis' life andthe blind obedience she exacted from the girl.
It was late when Gale got back to the sorority house. Adele Stevens mether at the door.
"How is Phyllis?"
Gale told her all the details she could and together they walked up toGale's room. There the sorority president stopped to chat a while. Whenshe left Gale found it lonesome. It would be hard to get used to livingalone for a few weeks. Phyllis was always so gay, so friendly andunderstanding, Gale would certainly miss her.
She sat down at her desk to write to Miss Fields. It was the mostdifficult task she had ever had to do. She didn't like Phyllis' aunt andher letter was not the friendly, sympathetic epistle it might have beenhad she been writing to one of the other girls' mothers. When shefinished she read the note through. It was decidedly stiff andunfriendly. She tore it up and began another. She finally enclosed herfifth attempt in an envelope and stamped it. She was sure Phyllis wouldreceive scant sympathy from Miss Fields. The woman, in all the yearssince Phyllis was small, had given the girl no obvious affection, nolove. Phyllis always had been afraid of her, always had to obey herblindly and implicitly. Gale remembered how difficult it had been forPhyllis to come to Briarhurst with the rest of the Adventure Girls. Andnow this had to happen! How would Miss Fields accept the news? Thatworried Gale quite as much as it did Phyllis.
Standing at the window, watching shadows moving slowly on the campus asclouds drifted past the moon, Gale thought of what Janet had said thatafternoon. Had Marcia deliberately hit Phyllis with her hockey stick?Gale's more charitable nature rebelled at the thought. Marcia might beselfish, stubborn, not at all likeable, but surely she wouldn't doanything like that!
The Freshmen had won the game but at what a cost. Her zeal for the gamewould cost Phyllis days of suffering and weeks of inactivity that wouldbe even harder to bear. Mentally Gale made a promise to help Phyllis allshe could.