The Press., 1903-08-06

/
er. It IL be rare to see his face when
ne finds it's Spider McGann. Spider
will lay down in the ninth, and Hefty
will simply swell. He'll continue to
swell until the Annual comes out. This
will be in it."
He handed Hall a slip of paper. In q
scrawling hand was written:
This is to certify that I. Spider Nc
Gam. laid down in my fight with Hefty
Burke. 1 could have punched him full OF
holes as a sieve II I'd had a mind to.
same's as 1 done once before.
SPIDER MGANN,
Lightweight Champion Of the World.
"Now, the point is. Spiders gone
back on u.s."
'HThat's it," said Burns. We've got
to pull it off somehow. We've sold
over 1000 tickets at anywhere from
So up. All the old grads Hefty has
fioored will be there ready to back
him-you see, no one knows it's fixed
but Dix and and the board of editors
of the Annual"
"And you're the image of Spider
McGann," said Dix. "Our proposition
is to give you the $500 to meet Hefty
tonight. If we couldn't tell you from
Spider McCann, he couldn't. You're
due to go out anyway, so It won't
make very much difference when you
do, only we'd want you to stay as
many rounds as you could for the sake
Of appearances" .....
Hall was thinking deeply. For the
church! For the churchp' ran through
his head.
Gentlemen" said he, Spider Nc
Gam pro TEN. is at your service"
You're brick!' said Dix, wringing
Halls hand. Meet US here at 5, and
we can talk it over at dinner. And
fishing In his pocket-"here's fifty to
clinch it. Wen give you the rest after
the mill"
At Hall was pacing the corridor,
when Burns and Dix came in. After
dinner, at which Hall was given many
valuable points as to Hefty's style of
boxing, the three entered a cab and
were driven rapidly to the Macedonian
club.
1t was precisely 8 o'clock when the
Rev. Charles Aloysius Hall. clad in
green trunks, faced Hefty Burke. That
gentleman's face was a study. Beyond
a doubt he was suffering from the
shock of recognition.
Not quite SO easy as last Time"
Burke muttered between clinched
teeth, and Hall could not restrain a
chuckle.
''Timew The referees voice sounded
In almost absolute stiffness. Then at
it they went. Hefty was nervous and
Hall was COOL He could imagine him
self back at the gym In his university
days. He side stepped Hefty's sledge-
hammer blows; he lodged and ducked
In manner that brought the crowd
to its feet. He would do his utmost to
stay those nine rounds.
In one Of the boxes Burns and Dix
were hugging each other.
Its great, greaty' said Dix. "Hefty
will surely think 1t was Spider"
And there was even more cause for
Hefty 10 think so when the end came
rather suddenly early in the eighth.
Hall ducked vicious jab and at the
same time swung with his right. The
blow landed with terrific force ON
Hefty's neck, and he went down blow
ing like a grampus. Then the referee
counted off ten seconds. The crowd
howled. 1t was some minutes before
Hall realized what had happened, and
when he did he vaulted the ropes and
broke for his dressing room, while be-
hind him the cheering redoubled.
At Cedarville two days later Hall re-
ceived the following letter:
Rev. Charles Aloysius Hall:
Dear Sir-You will probably wonder how
we know your name and address. A card
fell from your pocket in your dressing
room, and we have guarded 1t Jealously.
Your secret Is safe with us.
It was because we had the card that
we let you depart that night without
saying more about the money after you
had refused 1t because you claimed you
had broken your contract by flooring
Hefty. You earned it; ye gods, you
richly earned 1t. The first thing Hefty
said when they got him to his corner
was "Well. amt SO much. am II
Inclosed please find check on Third Ma
tional for $500. ..
We have secured from Spider a sworn
statement that he did not fight Hefty
Burke on the evening Of April Z. This
will appear in the Annual, with a poem
on Hefty's fall before the great unknown.
Great unknown! You shall remain such,
but permit us to express our gratitude to
you. Sincerely yours. ROBERT DIX.
JOHN BURNS.