The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-15
CHAPTER II.
Tha HammerIocI<.


 YITH the words he sprang for AR ward and hit me twice. The VW blows started at the very toe
 of his foot, and they shook me as no blows, even with the bare fist, had ever shaken me before of since Completely dazed, struck back, but encountered only the empty air. Four or five times from somewhere those pile driver fists descended upon me. Being now prepared to some ex- tent. raised my elbows and managed to defend my neck and jaws The at tack, was immediately transferred to my body, but | stidened my muscles, thankfully and took the punishment. My river and farm work had so hard ened me there that believe could have taken the kick of a mule without damage were expecting it
 The respite enabled my brain to clear. recovered slowly from the ef- feet of those first two vicious blows l saw Ward, his eyes Narrowed calcu- latingly, his body swinging forward like whalebone spring, delivering his attack with nice accuracy. A slow an ger glowed through me- He had be gun without the least warning, had caught me absolutely unaware. I hit back.
 He was so intent on his own assault, so certain of the binding effect of his first attack, that I hit him. I saw his head snap back and the blood come from his lips. The blows were weak. for was stfIl dazed, but they served, together with the slow burn of my an ger, greatly to steady me We were once more on equal terms.
 For perhaps two minutes I tried to exchange with him He was in and out like lightning. He landed on me hard almost every time He escaped nine out of ten of my return counters. Decidedly I was getting the worst of tlniJ. though my heavier body took punishment better than his lighter and more nervous frame. Then suddenly it occurred to ne that was playing his game for him. As long as he could keep away from me he was at an ad- vantage. My best chance was to close.
 From that moment I took the az gressive and was in consequence the more punished My rushes to close in were skillfully eIuded, and they gen eraLy laid me wide open. My head was singing, and my sight uncerta n, though was in no real distress. Wa1d danced away and slipped around tense as panther.
 Then by a very simple ruse I got hold of him. I feinted at rushing him, stopped and hit instead and then, fol- loving closely the blow. managed to seize his arm. For ten7 seconds he s5erked and twisted and struggled to , release himself Then suddenly he 5 gave that up, dove forward and caught { me in grapevine.
 He was q fairly skillfuI wrestler and very strong. It was as though he were ! made of whalebone springs. But nev- 2 CT yet have I met man of my weight who possessed the saue solid strength, and Ward would tip the scales at con sfderably less. I broke his hold and went after him.
 He was as lively as an exceedingly slippery fish. Time after time he all but wriggIed from my grasp, and time after time he broke my hold by sheer agility. His exertions must have been to him something terrible, for they re ,Quired every ounce of his strength at the greatest speed. could, of course, take 1t much easier, aud every instant l expected to feel him weaken beneath my hands, but apparently. he was as vigorous as evoA He was in excellent training. At last, however, I managed to jerk him whirIing past me, to throw his feet from under hiE and to drop him beneath me. As k0 fell be twist ed, and by sheer Guke I caught his