o me to observe the starting form of this new speed
artist. Now Carnes, don't ask any more questions. I may be barking up
the wrong tree and I don't want to give you a chance to laugh at me.
I'll tell you what to watch for at the track."

* * * * *

The sprinters lined up on the hundred yard mark and Dr. Bird and Carnes
sat with their glasses glued to their eyes watching the slim figure in
the colors of the Illinois Athletic Club, whose large "62" on his back
identified him as the new star.

"On your mark!" cried the starter. "Get set!"

"Ah!" cried Dr. Bird. "Did you see that Carnes?"

The starting gun cracked and the runners were off on their short grind.
Ladd leaped into the lead and rapidly distanced the field, his legs
twinkling under him almost faster than the eye could follow. He was
fully twenty yards in the lead when his speed suddenly lessened and the
balance of the runners closed up the gap he had opened. His lead was too
great for them, and he was still a good ten yards in the lead when he
crossed the tape. The official time was posted as eight and nine-tenths
seconds.

"Another thirty yards and he would have been beaten," said Carnes as he
lowered his glasses.

"That is the way he has won all of his races," replied the doctor. "He
piles up a huge lead at first and then loses a good deal at the finish.
His speed doesn't hold up. Never mind that, though, it is only an
additional point in my favor. Did you notice his jaws just before the
gun went?"

"They seemed to clench and then he swallowed, but most of them did some
thing like that."

"Watch him carefully for the next heat and see if he puts anything into
his mouth. That is the important thing."

Dr. Bird sank into a brown study and paid no attention to the next few
events, but he came to attention promptly when the final heat of the
hundred yard dash was called. With his glasses he watched Ladd closely
as the runner trotted up to the starting line.

"There, Carnes!" he cried suddenly. "Did you see?"

"I saw him wipe his mouth," said Carnes doubtfully.

"All right, now watch his jaws just before the gun goes."

* * * * *

The final heat was a duplicate of the first preliminary. Ladd took an
early lead which he held for three-fourths of the distance to the tape,
then his pace slackened and he finished only a bare ten yards ahead of
the next runner. The time tied his previous wo