ith head down and a
padded shoulder presented to the enemy, and the latter steadying him and
hurling him forward. Then two things happened at the same moment; the
ball passed from quarter to tackle, and Gillam and the leader of the
tandem came together.

The shock of that collision was plainly heard on the side-lines. For an
instant the tandem stopped short. Then superior weight told, and it
moved forward again, reenforced by quarter and right end; but
simultaneously the Erskine quarter and left half made themselves felt
back of Mason and Gillam, and then chaos reigned. The entire forces of
each side were in the play, and for nearly half a minute the swaying
mass moved inch by inch, first forward, then backward, the Robinson left
tackle refusing to believe that their famous play was for once a failure
and so clinging desperately to the ball, the center of a veritable
maelstrom of panting, struggling players. Then the whistle sounded and
the dust of battle cleared away. Robinson had gained half a yard.

The north stand cheered delightedly. It had only seen the Robinson
tandem stopped in its tracks, and did not know that in the struggle just
passed Erskine had used a new and novel defense for the first time on
any football field, had vindicated her coaches' faith in it, and brought
surprise and dismay to the brown-clad warriors and their adherents. If
it had known as much as Mills and Jones and Sydney about the "antidote"
it would have shouted itself hoarse.

Gillam trotted back to his place. His extra-padded head-harness and
heavy shoulder-pads had brought him forth unscathed. On the side-line
the Erskine coaches talked softly to each other, trying hard to look
unconcerned, but nevertheless showing their pleasure. Sydney Burr,
rather pale, was among them, and was, perhaps, the happiest of all. The
bench whereon the substitutes sat was one long grin from end to end. But
Robinson was far from being beaten, and the game went on.

Again the tandem was hurled at the same point, and again Gillam met the
shock of it. This time the defense worked better, and Robinson lost the
half-yard of gain and another half-yard on top of that.

"Six yards to gain," said the score-board. And the purple-decked stand
voiced its triumph.

Robinson wisely decided to yield possession of the ball and get away
from such a dangerous locality. On the next play she punted and Paul was
brought to earth on Robinson's fifty yards. Now was the time f