Show r fa HAS AS BEEN cosec I 1 by GENE brockhaven the matter with you W jeff you never acted lik like this before show some interest boap out of it good old faithful jerry thought jeff always worried nerves jittery during the endless training days and the torturous moments before the bell fluttering about jeff biye a hen mothering a lone chick eight years he and jerry had been together eight years during which they bey had often faced hunger and of late a few of the good things of we life maybe jerry was right mayhe there was something the matter with him the old fire the zest tor for battle the impatience for action the exhilaration of the blood racing through his veins the doubts yes and that little stab of fear in a torner corner of his heart looking back now BS 93 he sat on the little stool in the ring corner comer jeff realized he be bad felt none of them jeff roused from his reverie he glanced lanced around the ringside big bowd crowd announcer ballard busy at the hanging microphone A few more minutes to go to broadcast tone time jeff relaxed on his stool his mind blotted out the chaotic scene about him filled with memories again eight years this eight years of weeks week s hard work of sacrifice of punish best ment of patience and the giving up fiction of many of the things that youth loves but there had bad been a driving purpose then i goal to attain riches fame meant much in the early years but it came and in the last few ew years the money came too champion the thought of that year as champion brought a glow to his soul out and then he met helene forsythe it was at a charity chanty bazaar on long island one of the appearances jeff as champion was frequently called upon to make again as he sat on his stool completely oblivious to everything but his memories jeff felt his heart sink link as it had that afternoon she was rich society arid and he a nobody a prizefighter prize fighter they talked tor for a while and then others had taken him away he get to see her again that afternoon but did several weeks later that was the beginning they saw more and more of each other and soon they were deeply in love jeff had realized the hopelessness of it all ail to him she was unattainable but helene saw law no hopelessness in the situation at all jeff shivered on his stool as he lived again that memorable night be had called upon her father hed never been so scared in his life except maybe that night when he entered the ring tor for his first fight his belly empty and his spindly legs rubbery but there had been da 4 jeffs eyes found helenes and to him the world was young and warm again absolute necessity then that had buoyed his lagging courage but this night the stake was bigger hello mr stoddard mr for words were stamped indelibly in jeffs mind helenes told me of you I 1 dont like the business youre in but my daughter and you arg are in love she says so the business matter but what does matter is what sort of a life can you offer her jes jeff felt the warm blood rise to his face and ears as it had bad done that night at his blurted idiotic she wont starve mr forsythe had answered ill see to that that will always be my responsibility ashes my daughter im sorry mr for forsythe sythe jeff had ma managed aged and then the words started had started to flow senseless jumbled one into the other a few more fights a trust fund I 1 love her heartsick feeling his cause had bad been irretrievably lost he be had stumbled from the room and out of the house it was midnight before he got enough courage to call her he told her it was hopeless they would have to wait a bit hed make more money plenty of money helene had interrupted dad say no did he no oh you a sob and the click of the phone his frantic phone calls were fruit less and then miss forsythe has gone abroad that was a year ago he toured the country theatres theartres the atres exhibitions a appearances P pe arances the money piled up but jeff has lost interest then a match for the championship and his title gone because one man the referee raised another mans hand and then this sam abrams had sought him out sam had a young chap up and coming but he needed a win over a name before he could challenge tor for the title i therell be maybe ten grand in it tor for you sam had said and maybe sam paused mean angly more it if we can do business youre through jelt jeff you knoy know A has been jeff still wondered why he be chased sam then no business hed said and here he was sitting in a ring corner comer as he had sat in other ring corners a hundred or rn ampre re times a has been at twenty eighth and in this corner the former middleweight champion of the world jeff stoddard jeff roused dreams faded he be rose and bowed jerry fluttered buttered about him they walked to ring center for or instructions jeff sized up his bis opponent A likely looking youngster husky and obviously well trained he shook hands and turned back to his own corner the bell jeff slid cautiously to ring center yancey came forward to meet him left hand extended slightly chin buried behind a bulging shoulder jeff tried a long left and landed lightly they came together and jeff felt a jar on his bis chin another and yet another stinging blows blow they were delivered with amazing speed and with deception the boy had something they exchanged blows and again that short jolting left found jeffs face held hed have to do something about that jeff turned to his corner comer at the bell A trickle 0 of blood flowed bowed from the corner of his mouth and over his chin you gotta do something about that left jeff whispered jerry hell claw you to ribbons rib bohs jeff stepped forward briskly at the bell tor for round two he boxed he slugged but that tearing left kept reaching his face something warm streamed down his bis cheek jeff realized his eye was cut he brushed the eye with his right glove and gave ground slowly drawing yancey toward him jeffs right dropped into position at his chest he feinted with his left and there was the opening he sought his right fist shot out the weight of his powerful shoulders driving it home it landed and at the impact jeff felt a searing pain shoot up his arm to the shoulder for a fraction of a second he felt dizzy and then a nauseous feeling hit the middle of his stomach his eyes cleared and he saw yancey getting off the floor the punch must have landed high thought jeff his only hope now w was as a quick left hook he stepped forward ignoring the pain in his right hand band feinted tor for an opening saw it and punched he missed his last chance gone the bell he sank heavily on the stool did you bust it jerry whispered 1 I dont know jeff answered but dont touch it others might see yeah but you cant go on with a busted right argued jerry 1 keep quiet said jeff and as I 1 the bell rang tor for round three he rose to meet yancey earlier that evening at the for sythe home helene helena faced her father across the dinner table dad she said take me to the arena tonight please jeff is still in love with that boy ive never stopped loving him dad but now a short distance from ringside they sat the girl white faced tense as she watched the stark drama unfolding in that brilliantly white square ahead it seemed hours to the girl tortuous hours that they had been sitting there when her father leaned toward her im sold helene he said tersely and I 1 thought that boy lacked courage lets get out later in the dressing room jeff sat hunched on the rubbing table jerry striving mightily to hold back the tears was gently removing the tape and bandages from jeffs swollen right hand the room was empty but through the walls came the rumble of voices and laughter nobody has time tor for a loser thought jeff mr forsythe walked into the room hello jeff he said he laid his hand on jeffs shoulder that was a magnificent stand you made 0 out u t there mighty few men have th that at courage and more important helene says youre the only man tor for her and who am I 1 to jeff glanced past mr forsythe and his eyes found helenes she nodded and smiled and to him the world was young and warm again |