Evening star., 1932-01-24

as the crowd sensed an impending knockout.
But it failed to pierce the palsy that grlpped
Crane He stood dazed while the Sailor ad-
vanced, measured deliberately the distance TO
the defenseleSS jaw and drew back his rlght
Callahan crouching behind Cranes corner
felt his stomach drop sickeningly 1t was all
over now; no power in earth or heaven could
save Crane. He shuddered, shut his eyes, and
bowed his head on the edge of the ring They
had taken long chance, he and Duly, ana
they had lost. Crane should have famed into
berserk rage; instead he had frozen into an
icice the Sailor would Shiver with blow.
A falling body thudded heavily on the floor
of the ring and Jared its sturdy timbers. An
appalling silence followed, broken only by the
staccato click of telegraph and typewriter keys
And then maSsed throaty roar drowned the
anguished cry of an old man.
When Callahan looked fearfully up the
referee had begun his count Crane sat stupidity
in the center of the ring the white cone OF
light beating merciessly down on him through
the whirling clouds of gray smoke. The
referees arm rose and fell and fell. The
Sailor, standing at ease in neutral corner,
smiled contemptuously.
But Crane did not see, did not hear Blood
gushed from his nose down over his chin
to Spatter and stain his pale body. He stared
classify past Callahan through the ropes into
the crowd behind his corner. When the count
reached eight he paved weakly at the canvas
with one hand and then sprawled grotesquely
out"
The white-seeved arm rose and fell once
more. AS it moved upward on its last fateful
stroke the bell changed.
A scream, shrilling over the bass tones OF
the mob thawed the paralysis that locked
CaahanS muscles and routed the devils OF
conscience that numbed his brain. woman,
he reflected with a sneer one of the many
10 Hing
maledctons on them all he leaped up and
through the ropes and bounded to Cranes
side. But for a woman his boy would not be
stretched out helpless He slid gentle hands
under Cranes arms and haf-dragged, half
carried him to the stool in his corner.
Derisive hoots sifted family through the
clamor as he chafed the cool torpid body.
pounded and kneaded lifeless muscles, sprayed
the pale face He bit his lips. barney,
was it?
If he could get the boy back they'd find out
how much of a barney it was A curse on
Duffy for the psychology he had prated about!
Two fists was the only psychology would help
a fighter! Precious seconds were slipping past.
A hand twitched and Callahan,s heart leaped.
The boy was coming back-coming back to
prove he was master of the stupid, clumsy
brute across the ring. He gazed into Cranes
face transfxed. Flaccid muscles stiffened
under his trembling hands. Pale heavy eyelids
HlCRereu weakly ana popped open. Inc DTedtH
of life whistleG through bloodless lips The boy
back.
Cranes eyes closed halfway duly and then
leaped suddenly into full life Relief softened
the stern set of Callahan's face, but as he
turned to follow Cranes wild gaze his eyes
popped in amazement In his frantic efforts
to revive Crane he had ignored the scuffiIng
and shr;ll pleading he Sensed vaguely in the
audience behind him. But now with Crane
back to consciousness the pieces of the crazy
puzzle began to fit themselves together.
girl young and attractive, had battled her
way down to the press-row and, deaf to the
fervent pleas of her equally comey companion,
struggling with a pair of ushers to get
closer TO the ring.
'Ken!" she screamed. Ken! Beat that ugly
brute. oh, beat hinl-for mel"
The voice had electrical effect on Crane.
The weariness the dull sickness slid out of
him in the surge of color that suffused him
from head to foot. He leaped from his stool
and halfway through the ropes before
Callahan could clutch him and drag him back.
You got a fight in here to take Of
boy" he groWled, swinging Crane around. She
won't get hurt. And you heard what she
asked you to do. Get in there and do it or
I'll plant one your whiSkers myself"
Crane pulled away. Cupping blood soaked
gloves around his swollen lips, he turned to
the girl who had fought her way down to
the very edge of the ring.
III beat him, Kit he yelled
THE Blond Beauty who dawdled through two
rounds swept into oblivion by girls
mad screech. At the bell for the third round
Beef Crane, the savage, elemental terror OF
the gridiron, plunged across the canvas in his
stead.
The Sailor paused in open -mouthed bewil-
derment when his retreatng target of two
rounds charged down on him. Without
abating the speed Of his rush, Crane sailed In
to take advantage of his opponents conSterna-
ton He drove a hard RIGHT to the ribs With