For the Honor of Randall: A Story of College Athletics

by Lester Chadwick

  CHAPTER XXIV

  THE ACCUSATION

  "Well, I suppose you fellows are going to do your share next week,"remarked Dan Woodhouse. He had entered the room of the inseparablesshortly after Holly had gone to answer the telephone summons.

  "Oh, sure," answered Tom.

  "Well, we'll need every point we can pile up," went on the manager."Where's Holly, by the way? I thought I'd find him here, and there are alot of things I want to talk over with him. Where is he?"

  They were just telling Kindlings where Holly had gone when the lad inquestion came back. There was rather a queer look on his face.

  "Oh, Dan, you're here," greeted Holly. "Come on out, I want to talk toyou."

  "And you don't want us to hear; is that it?" asked Sid with a laugh. "Ilike your nerve."

  "Come on, Dan," went on Holly, without replying to the chaff, and therewas something in his manner that impressed every lad in the room.Kindlings must have noticed something, too, for he got up quickly, andjoined his chum. As he closed the door after him, Tom and the othersheard Dan ask:

  "What is it? What's up? Anything wrong?"

  "I don't know," answered Holly. "I'm afraid so. Wallace just had me onthe wire. You know, Wallace from Exter, their manager. He asked me aqueer question. Wanted to know if our list of competitors that I mailedhim for the games next week, was to be revised."

  "Revised?"

  "Yes. He asked if those were the fellows who were going to take part inthe games, and of course I said they were. Then he came back at me withthis:

  "'Well,' he said, 'I just thought I'd give you a chance to make anychange if you wanted to, before we took action. But if it's your lastword, all right, and you'd better come over and see me, or I'll come andsee you.'"

  "Wallace said that?" demanded Dan.

  "Yes," answered Holly, "and of course I wanted to know right away whatthe trouble was. He said he couldn't tell me over the wire, but he wasanxious for me to call, and I said I would. He intimated that hiscommittee might make a protest against some of our fellows."

  "He did? Who?"

  Tom and the others heard no more, for Dan and Holly moved off down thecorridor, but they had caught enough to make them stare wonderingly ateach other.

  "What do you know about that?" asked Tom, slowly.

  "That's the limit!" exclaimed Sid. "Going to protest against some of ourfellows! Who? And for what?"

  No one could answer him, and for a moment there was momentous silence.

  "Has anyone done anything, or does anyone know anything, that might makeone of our contestants ineligible?" asked Phil.

  "Not me," replied Tom, and the others said the same.

  "Let's go and ask Dan or Holly more about it," suggested Sid. "We'veheard part, and we might as well hear all."

  This plan seemed to meet with general approval. But when Tom and Philwent to find the two managers and trainers, they were told that they hadleft the college.

  "I'll wager they've gone to see Wallace," said Tom, as he rejoined hischums. "We'll have to wait until they get back."

  But when Holly and his chum did return, late that night, they would nottalk, though importuned to do so by many, for the story of the possibleprotesting of some of Randall's lads had spread.

  "There'll be a meeting of our committee and Exter's in the gymnasiumto-morrow morning," was all the information that Holly would give out.There were grim looks on the faces of himself and Dan, looks that bodedno good for Randall.

  "But if they protest against some of our fellows, and they have towithdraw, will there be time enough to rearrange our list?" asked Tom.

  "We'll have to make it do," declared Dan. "We'll have a few days to makegood in if--well, if some of our best men have to drop out."

  "But who are they?" demanded Sid. "Why can't we know?"

  "Because Wallace wouldn't tell," was the reply. "He said he'd makeformal charges to-morrow, and he intimated that we might post a notice,without saying who it was, stating that some one would be protested. Hisidea was that the fellow or fellows might withdraw of their own accord,and so save a scandal."

  "Are you going to post the notice?"

  "I am not!" declared Holly decidedly. "I'm going to bed, and that'swhere all you fellows ought to go if you want to be in shape for themeet."

  It was an unpleasant night for many at Randall, and anxious faces werenoted on all sides at chapel the next morning. Wallace, and some of hisfellow committee members, came over from Exter early, and soon all whocould, by hook or crook, "cut" a lecture, were in the gymnasium.

  "Fellows," began Holly, who took the chair, "I guess you all know whatwe're here for. Mr. Wallace, of Exter, has an announcement to make, Iunderstand."

  Wallace arose, rather pale, and began at once.

  "Fellows of Randall," he said, "I'd give a good deal not to have to dothis, but I believe it to be my duty. You all know that your college andours, and two others are in a four-sided league for some games. Thegames are strictly amateur contests, as you all know, and amateur rulesprevail. That is, no professionals are to be allowed."

  There was a gasp of surprise at this, and Tom, who was looking acrossthe room, saw a movement among some lads seated near Shambler.

  "None but amateurs are to be allowed to compete, under the rules," wenton Wallace, "not only for the sake of the colleges themselves, but forthe contestants too. We don't any of us want to lay ourselves open tocharges by the A. A. U. of competing with professionals, and so bebarred out of future games.

  "I am deeply sorry to do what I have to do, but certain information hasbeen laid before me, affecting the standing of two members of Randallwho are on the lists to compete in the games soon to be held. I got thebig list yesterday."

  "Who are they?"

  "Name 'em!"

  "It's not true!"

  These cries were heard, among other confusing ones, as the Exter managerpaused.

  "I'll name them now," shouted Wallace. "I formally charge that JacobShambler is a professional ball player, that he has played in a numberof games for money, and that he has taken part in other sports as aprofessional. I claim that he was asked to leave Harkness college forthat reason, and if he is to take part under the colors of Randall, thenevery Exter man will refuse to compete. I can prove what I have said,and if Mr. Shambler is present I challenge him to stand up and refutewhat I have charged!"

  If a cannon had been fired in the room, it could not have produced moreof an effect, nor brought about a more stunning silence followingWallace's charge. Every eye was turned toward where Shambler had beenobserved to be sitting.

  "Is it true?"

  "It can't be!"

  "There's some mistake!"

  "Shambler, answer him--tell him it isn't so!"

  These cries followed each other in rapid succession. Tom was aware ofmany thoughts flying in confusion through his brain. Several suspiciouscircumstances in regard to Shambler seemed likely to be explained now.

  "Shambler, will you answer?" called Holly, in strained tones. "Can't yousay, for the honor of Randall, that this isn't so?"

  There was a hush of silence, and, as white as a sheet of paper, thestudent on whom so much depended--who it was hoped would win the bigmile run, and perhaps other contests for the college, arose.

  "Mr. Chairman, and members of Randall," he began, and then his voicebroke. "I--I can't say anything!" he faltered.

  Once more that tense silence.

  "Is it--is it true?" hoarsely asked Kindlings. "Are you a professional?"

  "I--I am," confessed Jake Shambler and then, amid a storm of hisseswhich broke out all over the room, the dishonored student hurried out.He had not dared to deny the charge.

  "The sneak!" cried several, and more than one arose as though to followand inflict corporal punishment on one who had trailed the colors ofRandall in the dust.

  "Silence!" cried Holly Cross, leaping to his feet. "It's bad enoughwithout making it worse. Stop that hissing!"

  It stopped instan
tly, and amid a death-like silence Shambler opened thedoor of the gymnasium, and walked out. He did not look back. No one atRandall saw him again, for he left hurriedly, not even stopping to gethis belongings.