The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1928-12-07
The Losers
Stakes
By AID scHUsTER
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
fCopyright.)

{ \ he felt that he did not care and
was without ambition, he lost his job.
After that he wandered oyer the coun-
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.
It was evening and he was all but
doing under a tree near the fruit
ranch where he was working as
packer, when he saw, for the first
time. Naomi's 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.
"IIl find her." said Larry Wade.
"Ill find her II It's the last thing
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 1t was thought she
was somewhere on the Pacific coast.
Larry drew his pay and started West.
He folio led the crops, took one job
and another, and kept on the move.
The months pass and he had found
no trace of the girl.
There came a time when success
and defeat pressed close for positions
Larry was out of work and without
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 \ 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?
"rll have to get money" he told
himself, "a lot of money, and in 4
short time'
1t was a poster that decided him.
There were prize tights-boxing exhi-
bitions 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 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-
| neRt and for larger stakes.
"I'll have to win," he told himself
| as he stripped for action. "Ill have
to whip This Kid Wallop-for Naomi's
| sake" He felt he was gladiator en-
| tering the ring and 1t 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 1t up," said Larry's second
land you may win on points. Only
| look out for his right
The battle went on Larry knew
1 ho hop 40
that at any moment the sluggish Op
ponent might leap Into action, turn
ing loose that right upon which he
depended.
| I'm hitting him." Larry said Il
himself, but he doesn't mind" !
In the seventh round the Kid begar
to mind. Repeated blows on his face
stung him to anger, which showed
only In eyes which cleaned with (
more ominous intent.
This is the last round" 1t was the
second again. Keep away from hin
and the scraps yours. The Kid i:
going to wade I'm. He knows you've
out-pointed him and he'll try for /,
knockout"
The Kid came forward, slight,
crouched, figure of purpose, inten
and deadly. Larry side stepped
lodged and ducked and the Kid cam,
on. "I've got to win. Naomi, 1t vii
find Naomi"
The Kids arms were down. Her,
was the chance. Larry sprang for
ward, swung from the shoulder, an(
all but fell as the blow missed Fo
the first time the Kid smiled 1t wa,
just flash before he struck and tha
smile was the last thing Larry remem
bered. They told him he got to hi
feet and stumbled into a rain of blows
Then he was beaten to the floor ant
took the count. The Kid had won.
When Larry opened his eyes he wal
In bed. Then he remembered This
was hospital and he had lost tn,
fight. Broke again, and without ,
chance to find Naomi. He closed hi.
eyes. 1t was hopeless now. II h,
could have won that fight! Some ons
was moving In the room. He wOuls
not let the nurse see him weep, bu
with broken heart anC swollen face
1t was hard to grin. The loser:
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 al
over for"
II know, boy, / know. You have