River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-03-19
CHAPTER VII.

y
cious-a shy young man with
the body of a giant who was one of
the kings Of bruisers and who read
poetry and went to art exhibits and
experimental with color photography!
OF a surety there was no abysmal
brute here. His very shyness, she di-
vined now. was due to sensitiveness
and not stupidity. Shakespeare's ''Son-
netS!'
This was phase that would bear
investigation. But Stubener stole the
opportunity away and was back chant
ing his everlasting statistics.
A few minutes later and most unwit-
tingly she opened up the biggest lead
Of all. That first sharp attraction to-
ward him had begun to stir again after
the discovery of the "Sonnets."
The magnificent frame of his, the
handsome face, the chaste lips, the
clear looking eyes, the fine forehead
which the short crop of blond hair did
not hide, the aura of physical we'll be-
ing and cleanness which he seemed to
emanate-all this and more that she
sensed drew her as she had never been
drawn by any man, and yet through
her mind kept running the nasty ru-
mors that she had heard only the day
before at the Courier-J Journal Office.
"You were right" she said There
is something more important to talk
about. There is something in my
mind | want you to reconcile for me.
Do you mind?'
Pat shook his head.
eff | am frank-abominably frank?
I've heard the men, sometimes. talking
of particular fights and Of the betting
odds, and, while | gave no heed to it
at the time, it seemed to me 1t was
firmly agreed that there was a great
deal Of trickery and cheating connect
ed with the sport. Now, when | look
at you, for instance, | find it hard to
understand how you can be party to
such cheating. / can understand your
liking the sport for a sport, as well
as for the money it brings you, but
can't understand
There's nothing to understand
Stubener broke in, while Pats lips
were wreathed in gentle, tolerant
smile. ITS all fairy tales, this talk
about taking, about fixed fights and all
that rot. There's nothing to it, Miss
Sangster, | assure you. And now let
me tell you about how | discovered
Mr.. Glendon. 1t was a letter ! got
from his father
But Maud Sangster refused to be
sidetracked, and addressed herself to
Pat
Listen. / remember one case par
ticularly. 1t was some fight that took
place several months ago-I forget the
contestants. One of the editors Of the
Courier-J Journal told me he intended
to make good winning. He didn't
hope; he said he intended He said he
was on the inside and was betting on
the number of rounds. He told me
the fight would end in the nineteenth.
This was the night before.
"And the next day he triumphantly
called my attention to the fact that
it had ended in that very round. l
didn't think anything Of it one way or
the other l was not interested in
prizefghting then. But am now. At
the time it seemed quite in accord
with the vague conception had about
fighting. So you see it isn't all fairy
tales, is it?"
81 know that fight Glendon said
1T was Owen and Murgweather. And
Sam. And she said she heard that
round named the day before. How do
you account for it, Sam?"
"How do you account for man pick
ing lucky lottery ticket?' the man
ager evaded, while getting his wits to-
gether to answer. That's the very
point Men who study form and condi-
ton and seconds and rules and such.
things often pick the number Of rounds,
just as men have been known to pick
hundred to one shots in the races
And don't forget one thing, for every
man that wins there's another that
loses, there's another that didn't pick
right. Miss Sangster, assure you, on
my honor. that taking and fixing in the
fight game isis nonexistent."
What is your opinion. Mr.. Glen
DOM? she asked.
1.-THE same as mine," Stubener
snatched the answer. HE knows
what | say is true, every word Of it.
He's never fought anything but a
straight fight in his life. Isn't that
right, Pat?'
Yes, it's right" Pat affirmed; and
the peculiar thing to Maud Sangster
was that she was convinced he spoke
the truth.
She brushed her forehead with her
hand, as if to rid herself of the bepuz-
element that clouded her brain.
Listen" she said. Last night the
same editor told me that your forth
coming fight was arranged to the very
round in which it would end"
Stubener was verging on a panic,
but Pats speech saved him from re
plying.
Then the editor lies," Pats voice