Cinder Path Tales

114 CINDER-PATH TALES and had barely arrived at an agreement, when who should come briskly from the gymnasium but Teddy himself. He jumped down the steps, andwas hurrying away, with a joke at our serious faces, when Ispoke up and said (for such uncomfortable commis­ sions wereusually assignedto me), "Wait a minute, Atherton, we want a word with you." " All right, old man," he said, " but be quick about it,for I've a dinner waiting for me that will be cold after seven o'clock." He was fresh from his shower-bath and rub- down, and looked as if he had stepped out of a bandbox. We could guess where the dinner was, for Atherton was very serious about Mollie Kittredge; and whether Mollie smiled or not, Mollie's mamma was com­ placent enough, and did her best to give Teddy a clear track and no contestants. Mollie was a howling favorite, " blonde, bland, and beautiful," who, it was rumored, did not care to be won by a " walk-over," and would have likedTeddy better if he had been a bit more difficult. Now, I believe it is best to go at once to the point with a disagreeable matter, so I said bluntly, " I'm sorry, Atherton, but we have decided to ask you to run in the 'half; it is a late day to make the change,