Willmar tribune., 1914-05-13
he compelled she
not have refrained.
. e;i1W would

he compelled she ,e would
not have refrained. ~
She was almost dizzy when he
checked himself and, with q closing of
his fingers that half crushed hers,
dropped her hand, almost flung it from
him.
"God," he breathed; "you were made
for me!'
He turned partly away from her,
sweeping his hand to his forehead.
She knew she would hate him forever
IL he dared one stammered word of
apology or explanation.
But he seemed to have the way al
ways Of doing the right thing where
she was concerned. She sank into her
chair, and he into another, first draw
ing it around so as to face her across
the corner of the desk.
II spent last night in Turkish
BATH" he said. Il sent for an old bro
ken down bruiser. He was a friend
Of my father in the old days. l knew
there couldn't be a thing about the
ring he didn't know, and made him
talk.
1.-THE funny thing was that it was all
I could do to convince him that
didn't know the things l asked him
about. He called me the babe TN the
woods. guess he was right. I was
raised in the woods, and woods Is
about all know.
"Well, received an education from
that old man last night. The ring is
rottener than you told me. 1t seems
everybody connected with it Is crook
ed. The very supervisors that grant
the fight permits graft off of the pro-
moters, and the promoters, managers
and fighters graft off of each other and
off the public.
Its down to a system In one way,
and, on the other hand, they're always
do you know what the double cross
is?" She nodded. "Well, they don't
seem to miss a chance to give each
other the double cross.
'"The stuff that old man told me took
my breath away. And hero I've been
in the thick of it for several years and
knew nothing of it. was a real babe
in the woods. And yet can see how
I've been fooled. l was so made that
nobody could stop me. l was bound
to win, and, thanks to Stubener, every
thing crooked was kept away from
me.
'This morning cornered Spider
Walsh and made him talk. He was
my first trainer, you know, and he
followed Stubener's instructions. They
kept me in ignorance. Besides. didn't
herd with the sporting crowd. spent
my time hunting and fishing and mon
keying with cameras and such things
"Do you know what Walsh and
Stubener called me between them
selves? The virgin. l only learned it
this morning from Walsh. and it was
like pulling teeth. And they were
right. I was little innocent lamb.
"And Stubener was using me for
crookedness. too, only I didn't know
it. l can look back now and see how
It was worked. But you see, l wasn't
interested enough in the game to be
suspicious.
II was born with a good body and
cool head. was raised in the open.
and l was taught by my father. who
knew more about fighting than any
man. living or dead. 1t was too easy
The ring didn't absorb me. There was
never any doubt Of the outcome. But
I'm done with it now.'
She pointed to the headline announc-
ing his match with Tom Canaan.
'That's St1bener's work." he ex.
planned. 1T was programmed months
ago. But l don't care. I'm heading
for the mountains. I've quit
She glanced at the unfinished inter.
view on the desk and sighed.
"How lordly men are," she said.
Masters Of destiny. They do as they
please
"From what I've heard" be inter-
rupted, you've done pretty much as
you please. It's one of the things
like about you. And what has struck
me hard from the first was the way
you and l understand each other.''
He broke of and looked at her with
burning eyes.
well. the ring did one thing for
me-" he went on. ut made me &C.
quainted with you. And when you
find the one woman there's just one
thing to do-take her in your two
hands and don't let 60. Come on, let
US start for the mountains"
1t had come with the suddenness of
a thunderclap, and yet she felt that
=l = - Z