The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-30
CHAPTER xIx-continued.

iy takes place here. Two boxers place
themselves unreservedly in my hands.
The details Of the match are arranged
without their knowledge. They come
into the ring without knowing whom
they are going to fight. Sometimes
they never know, for my men wear
masks. Then we have private matches.
There is one tonight. Lord Meadow
son and have wager Of thousand
guineas. He has brought tonight from
the East end boxer who, according
TO the terms Of our bet, has never be-
fore engaged In professional contest.
! have brought an amateur under the
same conditions. The weight is with
in few pounds the same, neither has
ever seen the other, only in this case
the fight is with regulation gloves and
under Queensberry rules"
~ "Who is your amateur, Sir limo
thy?" Wilmore asked harshly.
Your brother. Mr.. Wilmore." was
the prompt reply. "You shall see the
fight If have your promise not to at
tempt in any way to interfere"
Wilmore rose to his feet.
do you mean to tell me-" he de-
manded, shat my brother has been
decoyed here, kept here against his
will. to provide amusement for your
guests?"
'Mr. Wilmore, beS that you will
be reasonable" Sir Timothy expos
tulated. Il saw your brother box at
his gymnasium in Holborn. My agent
made him the offer Of this fight. One
of my conditions had to be that he
came here to train and that whilst he
was here he held no communication
whatever with the outside world. My
trainer has ideas of his own and this
he insists upon. Your brother in the
end acquiesced. He was at first diff
cult to deal with as regards this con-
diti0n, and he did, in fact, I believe,
Mr.. Ledsam, pay visit to your office.
with the object Of asking you to be-
come an intermediary between him
and his relatives"
HE began letter to me-" Francis
interposed, land then mysteriously
unsupported"
"The mystery is easily explained"
y Fir Timothy continued. "My trainer,
Roger Hagen, Varsity tlue, and the
best heavyweight Of his year. occupies
the chambers above yours. He saw
from the window the arrival Of
Reginald Wilmore-which was accord
ing to instructions, as they were to
come down to Hatch End together
went down the stairs to meet him,
,Rpd, to cut long story short, fetched
fnSout Of your Office, Ledsam, with
out allowing him to finish his letter.
This absolute isolation seems a curl
GUS condition. perhaps, but Hagen in
sists upon it. and I can assure you
that he knows his business. The mys-
terry. as you have termed 1t, of his
disappearance that morning, IS that
he went upstairs with Hagen for sew
eral hours to undergo a medical ex-
animation, instead of leaving the build
ing forthwith"
"Queer thing never thought Of
Hagon," Francis remarked. "As a
matter Of fact. never see him in the
Temple, and I thought that he had
left"
May ask" Wilmore interviewed,
when my brother will be free to re-
turn to his homer"
"Tonight. directly the fight is over"
Sir Timothy replied. SHOULD he be
successful, he will take with him a
sum of money sufficient to start him in
any business he chooses to enter"
Wilmore frowned slightly.
sBut surely" he protested, shat
would make him professional pugil-
ist?"
sNot at ALL" Sir Timothy replied.
~For one thing, the match is pri-
vate one in private house. and for
another the money is a gift. There
Is no purse. If your brother loses, he
gets nothing. Will you see the fight.
Mr.. Wilmoref'
eyes, will see it," was the some
what reluctant assent.
"You will give me your word not to
interfere In any way?"
81 shall not Interfere" Wilmore
promised. "If they are wearing regu-
lation gloves. and the weights are
about equal. and the conditions are
what you say. it is the last thing
should wish to do" ,-
"Capital!" Sir Timothy exclaimed.
sNow to pass on. There is one other
feature of my entertainments con-
corning which have something to say
Ia series of performances. which
takes place on my launch at odd times.
There Is one fixed for tonight. can
say little about 1t except that 1t is
unusual am going to ask you. Lady
Cynthia. and you. Ledsam, to witness
It. When you have seer that, you know
everything. Then you and l, Ledsam,
can call one another's hands. I shall
have something else to say to you. but
that Is outside the doings here"
"Are we to see the fight in the gym
nasium?" Lady Cynthia inquired.
Sir Timothy shook his head.
40 not aIIous morn ar. fhoro i,,u6or