tace was forced to kick, and thrice, having by the
hardest work and almost inch by inch fought her way to within scoring
distance of her opponent's goal, she met a defense that was impregnable
to her most desperate assaults. Then it was that the Crimson had waved
madly over the heads of Hillton's shrieking supporters and hope had
again returned to their hearts.

In the second half Hillton had secured the ball on the kick-off, and,
never losing possession of it, had struggled foot by foot to within
fifteen yards of the Blue's goal. From there a kick from placement had
been tried, but Gale, Hillton's captain and right half-back, had been
thrown before his foot had touched the leather, and the St. Eustace
right-guard had fallen on the ball. A few minutes later a fumble
returned the pigskin to Hillton on the Blue's thirty-three yards, and
once more the advance was taken up. Thrice the distance had been gained
by plunges into the line and short runs about the ends, and once
Fletcher, Hillton's left half, had got away safely for twenty yards. But
on her eight-yard line, under the shadow of her goal, St. Eustace had
held bravely, and, securing the ball on downs, punted it far down the
field into her opponent's territory. Fletcher had run it back ten yards
ere he was downed, and from there it had gone six yards further by one
superb hurdle by the full-back. But St. Eustace had then held finely,
and on the third down, as has been told, Hillton's fake-kick play had
been demolished by the Blue's tackle, and the ball was once more in the
hands of St. Eustace's big center rush.

On the side-line, his hands in his pockets and his short brier pipe
clenched firmly between his teeth, Gardiner, Hillton's head coach,
watched grimly the tide of battle. Things had gone worse than he had
anticipated. He had not hoped for too much--a tie would have satisfied
him; a victory for Hillton had been beyond his expectations. St. Eustace
far outweighed his team; her center was almost invulnerable and her back
field was fast and heavy. But, despite the modesty of his expectations,
Gardiner was disappointed. The plays that he had believed would prove to
be ground-gainers had failed almost invariably. Neil Fletcher, the left
half, on whom the head coach had placed the greatest reliance, had, with
a single exception, failed to circle the ends for any distance. To be
sure, the St. Eustace end rushes had proved more knowing than he had
given them credit f