The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-11-23
n the Third
Round
By 4 u


"a the third round, don't fergit,
kid Barney had whispered. Go ID
e al you're worth, and he'll 60 easy
with you. Then In the third you Git
It on the Jaw and goes down-see?"
Abe nodded. The principals faced
each other In the ring. Lofsky, the
champion, grinned at Abe and tapped
him lightly on the cheek. They SPARED
and broke away.
Abe was dimly conscious Of the vast
~concourse OF spectators. r. was the
great event toward which he had been
working for five years past-his asnbi.
ton, the welterweight championship.
It had been difficult to And q big man
willing to meet him. He had fought
his way up from the bottom. and he
had had tough luck. q 4 /
And now, at the last, the thing that
he had looked forward to 90 long had
become his infamy. Abe had always
fought straight. He was the logical
man to meet Lofsky. But Lofsky had
refused to meet him. And Abe's young
wife and the baby were pining in an
East Side tenement
Then temptation had come In the
form Of Barney. Lofsky would meet
him for the purse Of nine thousand
dollars, if he would take two thousand
and a knockout.
Abe had refused s%cornfully. He
knew that he was a fair match against
Lofsky. But things at home were
going worse, and Minnie was threat.
ened with tuberculosis. In the end
Abe yielded.
ut amt as If it was your finish,
KID" Barney had said to him. mo.
body expects you to beat Lofsky, and
no one will know. You'll git your
chance again some day."
That was the understanding under
which they met.
Abe rushed In, pummelling Lofsky
fiercely about the body. Lofsky par.
ried and guarded, returning an occa'
sional blow which lacked all of LOT
sky's steam. At first Abe thought
Lofsky was mindful Of the compact
but then he realized that the big man
had not trained for the fight. He was
beefy, puffy, with too much stomach
over his belt.
And then Abe saw that his chance
had come. Lofsky had not trained,
and he was trained to the ounce. Vic
tory was within his reach, with seven
thousand instead of two as his share
Of the proceeds.
He could redeem himself and fight
fair. as he had always done, In conf
dence of victory, and 50 avoid the
worst ofense known to the prize ring.
On the other hand, If he tricked
Lofsky and his manager, would he not
be guilty Of an offense equally badl
The dilemma was q hideous one, and
there seemed no way to escape dis.
honor.
And suddenly he saw red. He would
beat Lofsky at any rate, II he could
He sprang in and dealt him a blow
upon the jaw that staggered him.
After that he fought furiously, stand.
ing up under a rain of punches. He
heard Lofsky grunt, he saw the look
Of surprise come into his face.
The round ended amid tumultuous
applause. Abe hardly heard the whis.
pered advice Of his seconds. When
the next round began he rushed at
Lofsky and began driving him all
around the ring. A fearful stomach
blow momentarily crippled him; then
he had sent out his left, and Lofsky
had reeled and fallen.
The spectators were growing frantic.
Was this another David7 There was
an ugly look on Lofsky's face an he
rose and met Abe's showering blows.
There was a clinch. Then Lofsky got
home on Abe's stomach and cheek, two
staggering punches that evened things.
Abe grew cool. He had been rushing
1t too hard. He guarded for the re.
mainder Of the second round.
The third round-the men faced one
another. Lofsky a sneering. There
was a cut over. his eye, and his nose
was bleeding. There was a look OF
uncertainty In his eyes. Abe resolved
to put forth all his might In this round,
the one in which he was booked to 60
down. He rushed. He beat down
Lofsky's guard. And then
He opened his eyes. His second was
STOPPING over him, sponging his face.
"What's the matter?" he mumbled
did he get meT
"Got you In the middle of the round
kid. Gee, an OK couldn't have stood
up against a punch like that Of LOT
sky's Say, you sure put up a better
fight than was expected"
As he staggered to his corner Lofsky
came up and shook hands. "Gee, kid,
you certainly had me guessing" he
remarked. II thought for sure you'd
double-crossed me, till you let down
your guard, or I wouldn't have struck
90 hard" >
Abe smiled. There was a great
peace In his heart. He had beer
beaten fairly--and fate had ordained
that he was to keep his pact. I'D
would fight fair In future. And Lofsky
Would have to meet him again. III
must be ready next time for thai
punch Of Lofsky's. 81"
coIoffuf READING. a 49,, .