"WELCOME THE TRAVELLER”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 September 1939, Page 12

"WELCOME THE TRAVELLER”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

ARTHUR HARDY.

CHAPTER XVI

(Continued)

Flynn was moving back, looking grim, his eyes glinting wickedly as Berry followed him. Tap. Robert jabbed tlie left home on the nose again, this time putting more force into the punch, and as he prepared to repeat the dose Flynn rushed blindly in, dropped his left arm right down, intending to swing it home.

It was the opening Robert had been waiting for. Before Flynn dropped that left arm down he knew the Soldier was going to swing it. Bracing himself for the effort and driving the right hand hard at Flynn’s jay, he put behind the blow all the power of the shoulder and the thrust of the body, driving it home from the feet, turning with the punch. Crack! The blow echoed leadenly as the glove landed, but it meant curtain for Soldier Flynn. Flynn’s enormous body crashed to the floor as if a dozen men had thrown him there. He landed face downwards, driving his chin into the resined canvas as he met the floor and there he lay with his gloved hands outstretched motionless until the count of four, then rocking slightly from side to side until the fatal out was called. , Robert helped to pick him up, and his seconds carried him to his comer. It was all over in one minute forty seconds and Flynn had not landed 1 a single punch. Robert slipped on his dressing gown, crossed over to Flynn’s corner and took the soldier’s hand as his victim stared vacantly at him. “Hard luck, Soldier.” said he.

Flynn did not answer. He could not. He was still in dreamland and wondering when the fight was going to begin.

Dan Shelton stared at Robert incredulously whhen the door of the dressing room opened and Berry entered laughing and unharmed. Dan dropped down from the rubbing board on which he was seated. “Don’t say'you’ve won the fight already, Bob,” said he. , Robert nodded.

“Inside two minutes,” he answered as he threw a§ide his boxing gloves. ‘“Flynn left himself wide open and had no defence.. I beat him before he had time to get warm.” Two bantam weights had taken the ring, the two who were to have followed Dan Shelton and Mike McGinty, and Robert had donned his flannels and was ready to help Dan long before the champion was called to the ring. They went out into the glare of the powerful ring lights and were greeted with the customary hurricane-like roar of welcome.

A minute later Mike McGinty came. The American looked dangerous. His coal black hair had been ruffled all over his head. His hands were already swathed in bandages and these Daniel Shelton, with Robert beside him, examined closelj’ before he was satisfied that all was right. McGinty’s hand bandages were heavier than boxers used as a rule.

The champions had entered the ring before the time agreed upon and a tedious delay followed in which old ring stars and new challengers stepped through the ropes and the M.C.'bellowed his introductions.

The big contest had to wait for the time fixed for the broadcast. At last all was ready and the fight began.

From the first move Robert saw that McGinty was dangerous, awkward too. He looked only half trained and nearly as fat as Soldier Flynn. But he knew how to box. He had all the tricks. His footwork was worthy of a champion and he had a good cover up. As he weaved in he swerved awkwardly, began to crowd Dan. Several times he feinted, but did not hit. When Dan opened the ball with a left and a right, McGinty took the blows smartly on his gloves, went in close, held on, jabbed, dropping his head and bringing up the back of his cranium in questionable fashion.

Th,e audience shouted, booed. Mike McGinty broke away reluctantly as the referee wrenched at the two and parted them.

“Be careful with your head, McGinty,” warned the referee. McGinty grinned.

Dan landed with the left, then witli left and right, smartly. McGinty missed with a wicked left hook, went into a clinch again, bearing his full weight on Dan. Again lie lowered his head, again the referee parted the men. Dan led with the left and followed with a right that McGinty anticipated, and the American’s left came hooking to the head, landing high up as Dan ducked, and the glove slid across and down wickedly. As they got away. Dan using the loft to keep his opponent. off. Robert caught his breath and the audience shouted. McGinty’s tearing glove had open-od a gash over Dan's right eye which was bleeding freely. Daniel got busy witli collodion and other healing fluids during the interval. He looked gravely concerned as he bent over Dan. In all his fights to date Dan had never received a cut or a wound and Daniel knew from experience that this might be serious. Mike McGinty would play upon that open wound, open it still wider; his hock 'was dangerous and his method of fighting was ugly and unscrupulous. Still a fighter must defend himself in the' ring, take the rough with the smooth. Daniel shot a hurried glance across the ring; seeing which, McGinty raised his gloved hand mocking and grinned. “Keep away from the gorilla,” Shelton urged anxiously. “If you don’t he'll be putting something across when he’s on the blind side of the referee. Box him Keep hirn moving. Out-h'-TL Nufsp ■hr’f bp.d Dan nodded, the seconds were called out, the bell rang and he went in

fighting. In the second round Dan boxed brilliantly, having an answer ready for every move McGinty made. He hit McGinty away time and again, he escaped the man's dangerous hooks. He scored point after point until lie had the crowd cheering. Until the end of the three minutes he kept McGinty away, but then the American closed, held, began to wrestle and. used his head again in questionable fashion. The wound was reopened and Dan went to his stool with the blood running freely. Dan was worried. He was not afraid of McGinty. He knew that he could out-point the man and win, but he was worried. In his ears rang a hissing whisper—“ Not this round Dan, but the next.” “Box him, boy,” pleaded Daniel. “He’s not in your way. Keep away from him. You’ll win.” Dan bounded from his corner when the bell rang for the fourth round. He would win all right. Use the left. Keep it straight. Move around. He did so, playing with McGinty, whipping home blow after blow until the arena was in a riot. But McGinty still came on relentlessly, stepping after the quicker and younger boxer, hands ready, lips pulled down tightly, eyes screwed up, a wicked awkward tough looking for the only chance by which he could win.

Dan hit him with the lef; and then the right. He must keep McGinty away. Suddenly a flame seared his brain. Something heavy and hard had rashed on to his head. He saw McGinty dancing up and down in a blur of vivid light. He bent double, his head came forward, and McGinty, measuring him, whipped home a deadly halft-arm jolt from the right that dropped Dan on the canvas.

Dreams are funny things. Dan was still dreaming when objects began to take shape. He found himself in the dressing room, lying on the rubbing board, his head propped up on a cushionion, and Daniel Shelton, Robert Berry, Freddy Devene, Sagar, Chipham and Thornton peering at him anxiously. Dan would have reared himself up had not Daniel pressed him down with a strong, right hand. “Dad,” said Dan vacantly. “Did I begin that fight with McGinty, or didn’t I?” “Daniel choked. Tears welled into his eyes and rolled down his sunburnt cheeks. His voice.shook when he spoke. “It’s all over, Dan, boy. s McGinty won. He knocked you' out in the fourth round.” CHAPTER XVII. At eleven o’clock the next morning Jessie Capstow and Nora were at the hotel. Jessie had r&ceived the news of Dan’s defeat at the theatre when she came off the stage after the third scene in the second half. She was looking anxious. “Is the cut eye very bad?” she asked of Daniel.

“Bad, but it might have been worse. He’d have won the fight but for the unlucky accident,” Shelton answered. “I’ll go and fetch him.” Dan had arisen quite early and Dr Madison had been to see him. Dan was wearing a strip of plaster over the wound. The eye below the cut was discoloured, but he presented no other sign of punishment. Jessie threw herself into Dan’s arms, nestled against him. She was crying and smiling at the same time. “Oh, Dan, 1 never believed you could lose,” she choked. “I don’t believe you would have lost, if I had been there. I’m heartbroken about it.”

Dan kissed her fondly, and smiled. “Don’t worry, Jess,” he said. “I'm all right. I’m going to have another crack at McGinty as soon as the cut is healed.”

“The great big brute,” sobbed Jessie. Dan grinned. “I was a mug, I think,” he told her. “I ought not to have let him lick me. I knew just what I had to do to win and yet I couldn’t do it. That cut over the eye rattled me. I misjudged my distance and then, in a flash, he got me. 1 I didn’t Know anything about the knock out punch; but it's no use talking, and he won.”

“And Bob won his fight. Are you glad, Dan?”

“Glad! I should say I am. But I knew the Soldier would stand no chance against Bob. He was much too slow.”

Jessie and Nora stayed to lunch; and in the afternoon Daniel Shelton, Robert Berry and Dan motored to the New Arena to see Mark Blissard the promoter.

Mark Blissard had his secretary, George Smith, and Gardner, always a privileged Press man. with him. He was smoking a cigar of groat size. “'Morning Daniel. ’Morning boys,” said he in cheery greeting. “We had a great night last night. I've got your cheques all ready. You’ll find ’em in order. Now, let's talk business. Dan, I want you to fight a return with McGinty. He says ‘no, and wants to meet the champion,’ but he’ll fight you all right. How long will it take for that bad eye of yours to get sound, Dan?”

"Don’t know. The doctor takes a serious view of it. I’m fit enough. Supposing we say three months, Mr Blissard.

“Sure. Three months, and the same terms. McGinty, as the winner, will want more than he won last night. It’s agreed he had a lucky fight. I think you will lick him next time."

“All I want is a return fight,' Mr Blissard,” answered Dan.

“Right, Then you are on. I’ll fix it with McGinty and his manager.” The promoter turned to Robert Berry with a beaming smile. “You -put up a great fight, Bob,” said he,. “I want to stage your next fight at the New

Arena. I'll find somebody worth your while.” The boxers returned to Tansworth in the late afternoon. Daniel Shelton drove the car along High Street from which a turning led directly to Wood Hill and found a crowd gathered on the pavements. As the car came in sight a rush was made and the cars were surrounded. The “fans ’ had been waiting since the early afternoon to give Robert Berry and Dan a cheer when they came back home. Their shouting echoed through the town. “Losing hasn’t lost you any friends, Dan,” said Robert as their car detached itself from the limpets who were clinging to it. “I suppose not,” answered Dan, and his eves wer A twinkling. “But I reckon most of the fuss was for you.” (To be Continued). F——"g