The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-09-27
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The Losers
Stakes
By AID SCHUSTER

/ Try working IN the fields, in garages,
anywhere, for enough to take him on.
Larry Wade said he would see the
world and forget Naomi Lee and then,
one day, he discovered he had been
wrong.
1t was evening and he was all but
doing under a tree near the fruit
ranch where he was working as a
packer, when he saw, for the first
time, Naomis side to the old argu-
ment. He felt suddenly small and the
pride which had kept him silent and
made him wander seemed monstrous
thing.
'I'll find her." said Larry Wade.
"I'll find her if it's the last thing l
do in the world"
And so he set out. Naomi, he dis
covered, in answer to his letters, had
| left the old town. No one knew where
| she had gone but it was thought she
was somewhere on the Pacific coast.
Larry drew his pay and started West.
He follo,;ed the crops, took one job
and another, and kept. on the move.
The months pasaau and he had found
no trace of the girl
There came time when success
and defeat pressed close for position.
Larry was out of work and without a
cent and he had heard that girl
named Naomi Lee had lived once in
the very city in which he found him
self. A waitress had told him of such
girl who had worked in the restau-
rant.
But she had a notion of getting a
better job. She studied and didn't
say much. Guess you better look in
the offices, or somewhere"
Suppose he found her? Suppose she
had moved on, down the coast How
could he follow her? How could he
present himself in his worn clothes
and with empty pockets?
"Tll have to get money!" he told
himself, "a lot of money, and in a
short time"
1t was a poster that decided him.
There were prize fights-boXing eXhi-
billions they called them-in this very
city. On the road he had been called
upon to defend himself more than
once. He was hard and active. Larry
presented himself to the matchmaker
trying hard to act the seasoned boxer
and was given a chance.
In the first exhibition, against a
raw lad, Larry won and was given
enough money to buy food and new
suit. Better yet, he was offered the
chance to box with a tougher oppo-
nent and for larger stakes.
'Ill have to win," he told himself
as he stripped for action. "Tll have
to whip this Kid Wallop-for Naomis
sake" He felt he was gladiator en-
tering the ring and it seemed to him
if he could win this purse the money
would find Naomi.
Kid Wallop was stocky. He looked
at Larry from eyes set deep beneath
black broWs and the look was one of
menace. Larry danced around the
Kid, poking in blows and the other
waited. The Kid was slow but alert.
He wasn't going to waste his strength
he'd wait.
"Keep it up" said Larry's second,
"and you may win on points. Only
look out for his right
The battle went on. Larry knew
the Kid was looking for the chance,
that at any moment the sluggish OPP
ponent might leap into action, turn
ing loose that right upon which he
depended.
I'm hitting him." Larry said to
himself, "but he doesn't mind"
In the seventh round the Kid began
to mind. Repeated blows on his face
stung him to anger, which showed
only in eyes which cleaned with a
more ominOus intent.
"This is the last round" it was the
second again. "Keep away from him
and the scraps yours. The Kid is
going to wade in. He knows you've
out-pointed him and he'll try for
knockout"
The Kid came forward, slightly
crouched, a figure of purpose, intent
and deadly. Larry side-stepped,
,dodged and ducked and the Kid came
'on. "Pve got to win. Naomi, it will
find Naomi"
The Kids arms were down. Here
was the chance. Larry sprang for
ward, swung from the shoulder, and
all but fell as the blow missed. For
the first time the Kid smiled. 1t was
just a flash before he struck and that
smile was the last thing Larry remem-
bered. They told him he got to his
feet and stumbled into rain of blows.
Then he was beaten to the floor and
took the count. The Kid had won.
When Larry opened his eyes he was
In bed. Then he remembered. This
was a hospital and he had lost the
fight. Broke again, and without
chance to find Naomi. He closed his
eyes. 1t was hopeless now. If he
could have won that fight! Some one
was moving in the room. He would
not let the nurse see him weep, but
with broken heart anC swollen face,
1t was hard to grin. The losers
stakes. The short end.
The nurse put her hand on his fore
head and he looked up. She was smil-
ing and leaning toward him.
"NaOmi! Girl, I've been looking all
over for