Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 125: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“THE END OF APOLLO. coming in diagonally, struck him in that off-balance position as he shook off the half- back, but before he regained his stride. Down he went, with the halfback leaping in from behind. First down! A mighty roar ascended. And then all was hushed—Habisch remained on the gound, A minute later he limped from the field on the arms of two men, while a deaf- ening cheer, partly answered from the op- posing side, filled the air. “Go in, Brown,” growled Flanagan, ‘and fight, that’s all, fight.” Ferris started up at the coach. “1 want- ed that chance,” he cried. “Go to hell!” snarled Flanagan. “Listen, you,” warned Ferris, “ I’m get- ting in this game or you'll regret it, do you hear?” ‘“‘ Shut up, or I'll have you thrown off!” “Like hell you will! You're losing, aren’t you, you rummy? Can you be any worse off by giving me a chance?” Flanagan’s answer was a groan. Brown’s first attempt to carry the ball ended in a two-yard loss. It was the third down and five precious yards had been earned by Gorman and Yelverton, following Habisch’s costly first down. Taking a third down chance on Brown he had reeled into two tacklers who gave him a nasty spill. “ There’s your choice,” gloated Ferris. Cardigan fell back to kick. An inrush- ing guard bowled over Brown, who lost his head, and Cardigan’s kick fell short. The agile Nagle grabbed it, and squirmed two yards. Down the field tore the orange jerseys, pushing back the defenders ruthlessly. One first down. Another first down. Kilhardt flashed past Brown and was brought down by Gorman on the eleven-yard line. “Your choice,” said Ferris. Flanagan snarled. Three yards the line gave. Four yards the line gave. Again they surged forward —there was a wild scramble, both sides shrieked. “Great Heaven!” shouted Flanagan. They fumbled, and we’ve got the ball on the two-yard line.” . Ferris grabbed him. “ See here, I’m go- ing in now. You nor all hell can’t stop me. Oe ab 599 I’m going to win this game and prove what’s been said about me was lies.” He ripped off his sweater. The ‘coach was trying to speak. “You shut up,” Ferris warned him with dangerously flashing eyes, “I’m going in if I knock you out first.”” And he raced across the field. The teams were already lined up and sig- nals coming when the umpire blew his horn for a substitute. The tired blues relaxed. “Ferris for Brown,” called Steve, and ran into his men. Steve bent down in position, conscious of the hostility. He thought he heard a murmur, but he paid no heed. Gorman sent himself around the opposite end, a risky play two yards from the goal, but it was worth a try. Ferris ran alongside him: saw the tackle straining to get through, saw the end fighting through Yel- verton and Cardigan, saw Gorman running outward with a good chance of clearing | them both, saw the halfback rushing it, and picked him for his man. 7 He dived and clipped the man cleanly at the knees. Gorman cleared the end, dodged in on the fullback, and went out his length when Kilhardt hit him. It was a five-yard gain. “ Call time out,” Steve directed Gorman. It was his first chance to speak after com- ing in, and Gorman thought it coach’s orders. He complied. “Listen, you men,” Ferris told them, ‘“‘T made the coach let me come in and the time out is my own idea. I’ve heard what you men have been saying about me and I’m here to prove that you are a bunch of liars. .I’m not yellow and never was. ‘““T admit I was particular about not getting scarred up; but that’s over now. See, I don’t give a damn what happens. I came in here to fight till every one of you will shout from the housetops that I’m a playing fool. Get it! Now, we’re going to win this game. I’m going to win it, if you men will fight half as hard to show you’re not yellow as I mean to show you I’m not. Are you with me for a chance?” Grunts of approval answered, and Gor- man said: “‘ Yes, I saw you clip that man in - your first play.” A CORMIC OCKOL<s (E)