The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-15
(Continued.l

"Conoyerr' his friend was shouting, | for the tenth time, ''if you XII nm, | Miss Shevlin's name Will De orth thst | into the affair, Can't you see that If"
 Conover's iron-tense muscles relaxed. The orgasm of Berserk rage hao pass ed. leaving him spent ana apaIneuS atI1rned to the Fighter. and he released HIS grip on the mighty arms. . ..Wenr' he observed, facing the dazed panting man, and settlng u rights his own tumb1ed clothing. you are a nice specimen of humanity 10 have at large in a civilized country; :; You might have killed him. 1ou wouia have killed him. I believe. if l hadn l come when I did I got to th1nklng over what you said at the State House | and I was afraid something ike this would happen. So l came on. Just III time. think" Caine. as he spoke had knelt beside | the battered bleeding Thing on the floor Now he crossed to the wash- stand and came back with soaked | towel. Talking as he worked over the unconscious figure. he added: You were right 10 thrash hlm lie richly deserved it. But. why the deuce did you keep on pumIneling him whlie he was down? Does that strike you as sportsmanlike?" "Sportsmarlike? panted Conover his big voice still shaking with ground swe!ls of the storm that had mastered
 
 s'pose I came here for measly ath- 1etic contest? I came here to lick that curly, perfumed whelp. An l did It..
 "You hit him when he was down, answered Caine, crossing again from the washstand and dashing cold water in Blacarda's shapeless face. And
 "Of course I hit him when he was downr snorted Caleb. What dye s'pose f was goin' to do? Help him up an brush off his cFoes? Gee. it makes me sick to hear that old fossil rot about not hittin' man when ne s down. What in thunder's the use Of hit him? I didn't come here for friendly boxin' bout I came to pay Blacarda off. An he wasn't to be paid off by enc little tap thatd knock him over. That was just the start l guess he'll know enough by now to let Dey Shcvlin's name alone."
 Cains made no answer. He was deftly applying. the simple prize-ring lists to their senses. Conover looked down at him in profound contempt.
 ''Yes.'' went on the Fighter. ''I s'pose in your gold-shirt world, folks would say was all kinds of a cad to keep on punishin' that swine after I'd bowled him off his legs. But them same folks will jump with both feet on business man when there's a rumor that he's broke. They'll join in a run on a bank that's in trouble. Their saintly wom- en'I take pious joy in chasin' to hell some poor girl who's made a fool of herself. But they'd roll up their eyes at the sight of me lickin' Blacarda after he's keeled over. What'n blazes is the use of gettin' a man down if you ain't goin' to hit him? It's the A. B. C. of business. Why, Caine. you make me tired!"
 His eyes feli on his own torn bleed ing knuck1es. He gazed at them in slow surprise: then sauntered over to bathe them. The glass above the wash hi foo cfxy white smeared with coal-dust smears and blood, and swollen from a blow on the mouth.
 sTm an engagin' lookin' spectacle. all right" he soliloquized he bent to wash. Lucky I left my suitcase at the hotel this morning. I'll need lot of dressin' an massagin be<ore l can go to see Dey."
 Blacarda groaned feebly, and moved his head.
 He's coming around" reported Caine. 'No'w m goip' to telephone down for the hotel doctor While he's story to tell him that will account for Blacarda's condition
 'I'll tell him the truth" said Caleb simply. '.All except the part about to tell that. either. But what's the use of doctor? The CUTS gettin' his senses back
 .I think you fractured at least one
 
 med on his chest" answered Caine. 'It feels so to me. Besides. unless his face is too distorted and hideouS for life it must have medical care at once-"
 Blacarda lifted his unrecognizale visage and opened the one eye which was net wholly hidden from view by his swollen flesh. Caine raised the in jured man to a sitting posture and held whiskey flask to the torn. discolored lips. Through the hedge of smashed teeth and down the swelled throat the stinging liquor glided. Blacarda gulp- ed it down. sat motionless for mo- ment. then groaned again and looked about him.
 We'll growled Caleb. "do you want any more"
 One long second B1acarda squinted vacantly at his conqueror. Then, with a. shuidering scream of terror. he buried his mangled face in Gaines shoulder and lay there, quivering and sobbing.
 What a beast you are, Conoveri" exclaimed Caine. in revolt.
 That's right assented Caleb, cheer fully. ''But I've just broke a worse one. Broke him body an spirit. Not such bad days work,"