Adventure Magazine Cover, April 1916 — page 210: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

208 Marty McGuire looked Mr. Darrow over. Mr. Darrow mildly shook his head, but they paid no attention to that. “He looks straight enough to me,” said Marty. ‘But we don’t want nothin’ in the safe. Let him hold it himself if some one will say he’s de goods.” “Oh, Darrow’s straight as a string,” said Burgess, wiping his moist brow and evi- dently glad to get the matter settled. “It’s all right with me, folks, if it is with you.” “Might as well let it go at that, then,” said Mr. Crabbe, a little dubiously. ‘Will you act, Mr. Darrow?” Mr. Darrow rather timidly said that he had no real objection if every one was satis- fied to have him. Every one was so satis- fied that each and every one shook hands with him and ‘“‘called it a bet.” Mr. Darrow blushed and smiled and was nearly overwhelmed. He seemed especially interested, however, in examining Marty McGuire’s features, probably because it had been that redoubtable gladiator whom he had held helpless in his arms only a short time ago. b] THE fighters, as soon as this was settled, turned to Carola’s counter as though to renew their courtship. But Carola had been so overcome by the events of the day that she had gone home, and a bell-boy’s wide grin was all that met their eyes when they sought her place. Further hostilities were accordingly post- poned, and the party broke up. She appeared at her old stand the next morning, however, and was ready to smile on all as before. But the belligerents had apparently come to some sort of an under- standing. From this time on, Marty McGuire al- ways stopped for a few minutes after break- fast, before he retired to let his food digest, while Abe refrained from appearing until the afternoon, at some regular interval in his training. Thus the two never met and the hotel lobby was saved from being a battle-ground. Excitement was well stirred throughout the neighboring country, and there was no cause to fear that the crowd would not come up to expectations. It was certain that the affair was to be for blood, and, while the betting favored Marty, there were plenty who were willing to back their opinion that the larger man was the better. Adventure Yet the odds were all against Kelly’s winning, and quotations at the book- makers ranged about three to five and two to one, with McGuire on the short end. It was known that there had been a side-bet between the principals, and that Darrow held the stakes in this affair as in that of the purse. Abe Bernstein had more money to bet on himself, too, but McGuire seemed to be satisfied with what he already had placed. So Abe turned to the townsfolk and naturally found many to accommodate him. But he invariably insisted that Darrow should be the stakeholder, giving much the same reasons as had governed the selection of the clerk in the first place. On the day before the fight the money from advance sales was deposited in the bank to the account of Burgess, and all was in readiness for the final stages. The grand stands were finished at the track and enough seats had been sold to make Burgess feel completely easy in his mind. Standing- room and bleacher seats were on sale be- sides, and went at good prices. Fort Jones had never yet known such a crowd as began to pour into its confines from all directions and distances. Yet, for reasons already made clear, the great bout had attracted hardly any attention from newspapers outside of this section. The Telegram had, for many days, barely mentioned the affair, and had not even printed the names of the principals. So far as the world at large was concerned, such an event as this coming battle was undreamed of. Yet, through mysterious channels, sports from remote regions had heard of it and were appearing on the scene. Thus, while the hotel thronged with new arrivals, the evening preceding the date set for the fight arrived. The principals were supposed to be resting in seclusion, after fin- ishing their arduous training, but Carola was hardly surprised, about an hour before her day was up, to perceive the welter- weight champion of the world making his way through a side entrance to her counter. She welcomed him, as always, with a smile. It would never do to hold against him the fact that he had engaged in a brawl in her presence. Besides, as a Southern woman, combativeness should not be dis- pleasing to her. Young Kelly evidently took this for granted. He seemed to have an important CoOMmicboooks CO