South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-02
III


YES Jim. and | was still wondering what
that word would be when Adair aai I came
I'D 10 the ringside Nigh noon the next
day, and saw as bonny a sigl as ever set
eyes on with the stakes pitched IN little cup
OF ground, and all sporting London and tie
West Country perched around the sides the
sloping banks of grass twas place built for
q mill il ever there was one. One OF the nrst
men ] saw was Seth Burnett; he was standing
with Harradine and near the two was Seth
uncle John Burnett looking old and shaky. but
game as a fighting cock. He'd have been at
the ringside II he'd had to come on crutches,
because I dare say he figured il out that he
wouldn't get the chance Of seeing many more
affairs like that-and on his own land, too.
Adair went up TO him and shook hands
"HoW's your man, Mr. AdairP asked old
Burnett and Adair told him that the White
Prince was At as hands could make him.
He'd just told Burnett that when Seth
came up. and as l the leer on his face, I
could have struck the dirty smile from his
lips
There's little formality to go through.
Adair,' he said, and smirked again.
And Adair surprised me when he turned to
that low rascal and smiled and spoke as cool
and pleasant as though he'd just run up against
an old friend.
"'Ah, yes Mr.. Burnett, Of course he said.
Proof or forfeit | said, and at the ringside.
Proof or forfeit it shall be, Mr.. Burnett, and
at the ringside. but shall we say after the mill
and not before? tbs just our own private
affair You'd vastly oblige me, Mr.. Burnett, to
accede-'pon my soul you would.
Burnett looked a bit doubtful, and then he
grinned and told Adair he could have that as he
liked. And after he'd gone Adar turned to me
and shrugged his shoulders
wen the MILL any way. he said;
'tother business can wait But l knew for GER
tain that he no way out-no way out at all.
We'll we did see the mill, and never saw
prettier one The White Prince was up
against one OF the best men in England, and I'll
only say that the White Prince won in four
rounds for it was in the fourth that towel
came Tapping into the ring from Crabbe's
corner. II was grand to the boy, and I'll
swear that, from the moment the pair left their
corners till Crabbe was beaten never thought
once Of what Adair had called a private affair
between him and Seth Burnett, and an almighty
serious at that, for Adair No, never want
to see a grander show than the White Prince
gave that day. He a picture in his looks
and he was a picture in his fighting, a real
picture; and Crabbe, good man though he was
never saw the way he went. The crowd stood
there, and for the most part they we're silent
as the grave-the boy had them spell-bound
I think They only shouted once, and that was
in the last round, when the White Prince
went in to finish his job AS he left his corner
/ saw him touch little gold charm that he'd
got hung round his neck, and as he touched
IL saw him smile. II after that smile
that he set the crowd alight. and no wonder
because they were seeing a little P r classic
II ever there was one
but I'll tell you all about the fight some
other time, Jim-if you want TO sit up all
night | said that the towel came in during
the fourth round, and 1t was just then that /
remembered--and wondered what was going TO
happen now.