The Dolores star., 1922-11-24
Lionheart, the
Champion
By JOHN PAl.MER

"SN, put tney caue0 MIN
Liohheart for some reason that had
been forgotten. He was seventy wears
olu. A patriarchal beard flowed over
MS breast, his long locks, white as
snow, hung about his shoulders.
Inc other, sharp-featured young
man OF the same race, sat slipping cof-
lee ut the same table in Engers.
Strange things happen In obscure parts
OF New York. Very few in the busy
world knew that the chess champion
snip Of America was to be contested
In Engels in the Forthcoming evening.
Hour after hour the knot Of specta.
tors would hang about the greasy ia.
Die, watching each move in absorption,
until the winner rose to receive their
acclamations.
a young woman, pretty In a sallow,
oriental way, sat beside young Isaacs.
She had bobbed hair, anu listened at.
tentiyely to the conversation, occasion.
ally Intervening with some remark
that fully matched that of the men.
They surveyed Bolshevism, PlatonisIn,
Malthusianism, Post Impressionism,
and Bergsonism.
Five thousand dollars, Yankov,"
She whispered to the young man as
the patriarch turned to speak to an
admirer. You can beat him, sure.
He's lost his grip now. Then we get
married and have our clothing store.
Seer"
iankov Isaacs nodded, and turned
courteously as the patriarch began to
speak.
Well, lsaacs, If you win. bear you
no malice" he said. Twenty years
I've been the champion. / hoped for
one more victory--tive thousand dol.
lars is not TO be sneeZed at, and 1t
means that farm in Vineland Rosie
and he's looked forward to. Ach, II
only they'd played for such stakes In
my young days I'd be rich man! But
let the best man win."
Agreed" said 1saacs, and smiled at
the young woman beside him.
The patriarch went away, and one Of
Isaacs' followers took his seat. Say,
you can beat the old guy easy" he
said. Hear about his son Moses?
No? Why, he's been hooked for get.
ting away with his employers money
seven thousand dollars. Old Lion.
hearts put up all his savings to get
him set free. l guess his minds pret.
ty well mixed up. You'll vim, Isaacs."
There was stir in Engel's. The ia.
BILE had been set out. Just an arm.
chair each side of its iron stand, a
common chess-board on the marble top,
twodollar box of chessmen. The
contestants took their. places. The
young woman, at Isaacs' side, re.
mained outwardly as calm as If there
was nothing at stake.
Pawn to kings fourth. Knight to
bishops third. Then came Lionheart's
move-pawn to Queens knights third.
The young man pondered.
He answered, and after the half.
hour of preparation was nearly at an
end, Lionheart countered again.
Isaacs had won his way by defeating
dozen chess players of superlative
quality, but he had never found q
master equal to Lionheart. Chess, be.
tween masters, is more rigid than mil.
itary tactics. Each move binds each
player a dozen moves ahead, unless he
can discern some play that will change
the Kaleidoscope. That was where
Lionheart excelled. Isaacs grew baf-
fled, played irresolutely. Why was
Liopheart's rook stationary at his
kings puwn's second?
Batied, he began to wonder whether
what he saw as an undecipherable de-
sign was not an error. something Lion
heart had done and could not rectify
because each Of his own moves bound
LIonheart to a rejoinder. His surmise
grew into conviction. He had feared
that rock; now, boldly, he challenged
it with his queen.
And suddenly he saw tiny beads OF
sweat stand out on Lionheart's fore
head. The old mans hands trembled.
There was q stir among the spectators.
Isaacs grew dizzy. Why. Lionheart
had uncovered his queen; in three
moves he could threaten king and
queen, drive Lionheart to disaster.
Lionheart moved, and the spectators
held their breath. He had moved In.
to ,defeat-unless Isaacs had not seen
the old mans oversight. Lionhearts
thoughts had been far away with bis
son.
Isaacs poised his hand over bis
knight. One move-queen to her bish
OPS fourth-Lionheart was done
Isaacs glanced at the girl. Something
incomprehensible was signalled from
her eyes. Isaacs moved.
A roar went up. and. swift 81
lightning, Lionheart released MI
queen, To the unframed observer. the
game was an equal one. But Isaaci
rose, laughing.
"Your game" he said with an ironical
bow. -.
"Ah, there's life in the old dog yet
Lionheart chuckled.
The girl slipped her hand through
her lovers arm. 1--WE can walt, Yan
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