The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13

| I he Crox1ey Master

him. At each corner wero metal basins,
pitchers of w,ltci. and spohges. Cd
8 During tho hubbub and uproar Of the en-
francs Montgomery was TOO bewildered J. TO
take things In But now there was q few
slntn,ttes' delny. for tho referee had I'M
gered behind, and SO he looked Quietly
around him. II was n sight to haunt him
: for n life-titne. Wooden seats had beoil
built III. slopinR upward TO the top OF
tho walls Above, instead Of ceiling,
great flight Of crows passed ca Slowly across
topmost benches the folk wcro banked
broadcloth In front, corduroys and rus
tian bchind; faces turned everywhere
upon him. The gray reek Of tho pipes
filled tho building. and the nlr was pun
gent with the acrid smell Of cheap, STRONG
tobacco. Everywhere among the huninn
faces were to be seen the heads OF the
dogs. They gtowled and Sapped from
the back benches. In that dense mass OF
humanity one could hardly pick out IN.
divlduals, but Montgomery's eyes caught
tho brazcn gloam Of the helmets held
upon the knees Of the ten yoemen OF his
escort. At ire very edge of the platform
sat the reporters, five OF them; three
locals and two ali the way from London.
But where was tho all-important referee?
There was no sign of him, unless he we're
In the centre or that angry swirl OF men
near the door
Mr.. Stnpleton had stopped to examine
the gloves which were to be used, ana
entered the building after the combat.
ants. He had started to come down the
narrow lane with the human walls which
led to the ring. But already It had gone
abroad that the Wilson champion was Il
gentleman, aid that another gentleman
had been appointed a referee. a wave
of suspicion passed through tho Croxx-
ley folk. They would have ore Of their
own people FOR d referee. They would not
have stranger. His path was stopped
as he made for the ring. Excited men
flung themselves In front OF him; they
waved their fists In his face and cursed
him. A woman! nowled vile names IN his
ear. Somebody struck him with nm UNI
brela. go thou back to Lunnon. We
want moan o. thee. Go thou back!' they
yelled.
stapeton, with his shiny hat cooked
backward. and his largo bullying fore
head swelling from under It, looked round
him from under his bushy eyebrows.
He was tho centre of savage and dan
gcrous mob. Then he drew his watch
from his pocket and held It, dial upward,
IN his palm.
I'm three minutes" he said. II will
declare this fight of"
They ragged around him. Ills cool facc
and that aggressive top-hat irritated
them. Grimy hands were raised. But
it was difficult somehow. to strike a
man who was so absolutely Indifferent
I'm two minutes I declare the fight
off, &s
They exploded into plasphemy The
placid face. A. gnarlcd, grimy fist vibra-
ted at the end OF his nose. I'VE tell thee
we want moan. O. thee. Get thou back
where thou CONS from"
LIN one minNteI declare the fight OF. =
Then the calm persistence OF the man
conquered the swayng, mutable, passion
ate crowd. 5s
LET him through. mon. Happen there'll
be no fight after a."
Let him through.
''Blll, thou loomp,. let him pass. Dost
want the fight declared off
Make room for the referee!- room for
the Lunnon referee
And half pushed half carried. he was
swept up; to the ring. There were two
chairs by the side of it, one for him and
one for the tlmekeeper. He sat down,
his hands on his knees, his hat at a. more
wonderful angle than ever, impass!ve,
but solemn. with the aspect Of one who
appreciates his Responsibilities "a i4 ID
Mr. Armita SO, the portly butcher, made
his way into the ring and held up two
fat hands, sparkling with rings, as a
signal for silence.
"Gcntlemen!'' lie yelled. And then In
crescendo Shrek, a"Gentlemen!"
'And ladies!" cried somebody. for In
deed there was a fair sprinkling of won-
en- among the crowd. Speak up OVID
man. shouted another. What price
pork chops?'' cried somebody at the back
Everybody laughed, and the dogs began
to bark. Arnntage waved his hands
amidst the uproar, as X he were con-
Quoting an orchestra. At last the babel
thinncd into silence.
.Gentlemen," he yelled, ''the match is
between sias Craggs, whom we call the
Master of Croxey, and Robert Montgom-
cry. OF the Wilson Coal-pts, The match
was to be under eleyen-eight. VIXEN they
were weighed just now Craggs weighed
cleven-seven. and Montgomery feminine.
The conditions of the contest nre-the
best Of twenty three-mInutc rounds with
two -ollnce gloves Should the fight run
to its full length 1t will, OF course, be de-
cided on It's points. Mr.. Stapleton, tho
we'll known London referee. has kindly
consented to see fair play. wish to
say that Mr. Wilson and !, the chief
hackers of tho two men, have every con-
fidence In Mr. SApleton, and that we beg
that you will accept the rulings without
dispute" Hs.g
lie then turned from one combatant to
the other, with wave of his hand.
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