Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

THE END OF APOLLO. his face on her. She smiled and said, a trifle sadly: “ Steve, you didn’t do as well as I expected of you to-day.” “Oh, Germaine,” he cried, “I did my very best. Gosh, you’ve no idea how hard I fought! I wanted so much to do well for you. Now—I’m rightfully disap- pointed.” ‘“ Steve, I didn’t mean to hurt you. But it was your chance; and—the fellows say it’s because—because you—” “Ves. I know.” Steve hung his head. “ But, gosh, it’s you that I think about, and I don’t want to get all battered up for you. Don’t you understand?” he cried vehemently. “ It’s because I love you so, I fear of doing anything that I] make me lose favor in your eyes.” The Grecian nose dilated with emotion, and the dreamy eyes, shadowed by extraor- dinary lashes, turned gradually on her, sending little chills down her spine. | ‘“‘ Steve,” she whispered, “you are a good-looking devil. And I love you.” Meaning glances were cast at Steve by the members of the Lakeville team, who felt they had won a moral victory in hold- ing Holwood to a tie. “ Hello, Apollo,” called big Gilligan across the floor. But Ferris lifted his noble head haughtily; and Gilligan watched Steve cut in, and noted how the girl he was dancing with gloated over possessing him. ““ Well, I’m damned!” he muttered. A sneering voice broke in: ‘“ Apollo is there with the ladies, anyway.” It was Butcher Merrick, Holwood’s end. “Yeh, Butcher,” answered Gilligan, with scorn. ‘“ What can you tell the ladies to call him so he'll be queered with them?” Butcher replied sullenly: ‘“ You got no kick because I gave you the low-down on his name. It helped you plenty.” “Yeah? Well, how did it- help you, Butcher?” Butcher did not answer, but soon Gil- ligan saw him trailing Germaine Rivers. _ Again Gilligan saw Butcher leading her outside. <A little later Gilligan saw Ger- maine walk rapidly into the room, looking furious, with Butcher strolling self-con- sciously behind her. SA . 593 “So that’s his game,” laughed the Lake- ville star. II. Next week at scrimmage Steve entered cheerfully into practice despite the slight coolness of his teammates, who seemed to resent his poor playing, to which they at- tributed the tie game. On Tuesday Bill Scraggin, recovered, returned to his place at right half, and Ferris was lined up with the scrubs. First time he carried the ball round Mer- rick’s end Butcher jeered at him: “Watch out, Apollo, ’m going to ruin your map!” Steve started, and at that moment Mer- rick threw him savagely, his face grinning in the dirt. When he rolled over, a streak of dirt across his chin and lips, Merrick leered: “Another like that, and Miss Germaine won’t recognize her handsome hero.” Smack! Ferris’s fist struck Butcher full in the mouth. Merrick started for him. Steve warded off a vicious lunge, ducked under a short blow, uppercut him to the chin, and they clinched. Rough hands separated them, and Coach Flanagan ran up, cursing prodigiously. _ “ Get off this field, you Apollo.” And fol- lowed this remark by many others of doubt- ful decency. Steve undressed moodily. ‘““ Now I’ve done it,” he thought. But another thought ran in his. mind. Was it Butcher Merrick that told the Lake- ville bunch about his name and his fear of marring his features? Could he have done that caddish trick? And why? Germaine might explain it. He would certainly ask her. 3 That night he called her up. “May I see you to-night?” he asked gravely. “T’m rather busy,” she replied, some- what coolly, he thought. “This is urgent, Germaine.” ““ Well—you may come over for a little while.” Immediately on his arrival he asked her had Merrick ever bothered her. She ‘was non-committal. Comicbooks Steve was slightly puz-— CeCoynr 94, db. fede mye “