The Green Flag

the Dodd Mills, from the Leverworth Smelters the workmen came trooping, each with his fox-terrier or his lurcher at his heels. Warped with labour and twisted by toil, bent double by week-

hese were things which they could understand, which they could speculate upon in advance and comment upon afterwards. Sometimes brutal, sometimes grotesque, the love of sport is still one of the great agencies which make for the happiness of our people. It lies very deeply in the springs of our nature,

and driving showers. Montgomery worked all mor

ed the doctor, "that I am inclined to think that you had bett

that I must g

Angleton, wishes to see me. It is probable that I shall be there all d

but I must go," said

t easier now that he was gone. He went up to his room, and packed his running-shoes, his fighting-drawers, and his cric

ikely to be a

rs much. It's bound to com

telling you that the hundred pounds will make all the difference to me. But i

bout it already. He's the Master's backer, you know. He wasn't sure that you were eligible. The Master said he wanted you whether you were eligible or not. Armitage has money on, and

ly do my best,"

for Montgomery's mind was full of what was before him, and

angest experience of his life, but with a thrill of human action and interest in it which made it passionately absorbing. He lay back in the open carriage and saw the fluttering handkerchiefs from the doors and windows of the miners' cottages. Wilson had pinned a blue and white rosette upon his coat, and everybody knew him as their champion. "Good luck, s

rosetted carriage became gradually the nucleus of a comet with a loosely radiating tail. From every side-road came the miners' carts, the humble, ramshackle traps, black and bulging, with their loads of noisy, foul-tongued, open-hearted partisans. They trailed for a long quarter of a mile behind them-cracking, whipping, shouting, galloping, swearing. Horsemen and runners were mixed with the vehi

filled by the rushing current of traps. The Wilson contingent halted until the others should get past. The iron-men cheered and groaned, according to their humour, as they whirled past their antagonist. Rough chaff flew back and forwards like iron nuts and splinters of coal. "Br

. Montgomery had one glimpse of them as they flashed past; he with a furry cap drawn low over his brow, a great frieze coat and a pink comforter round his throat; she brazen, red-headed, bright-coloured, laughing excitedly. The Master, for it was he, turned as he passed, gazed hard at Montgomery, and gave him a menacing, gap-toothed grin. It was a hard, wicked fa

tted, and vast piles of refuse and mountains of slag suggested the mighty chambers which the labour of man had burrowed beneath. On the left the r

That's where the fight is to be," sa

er better in my life,

"You'll give us a fight for our money, come what may. That place on the right

card announced, were five shillings, three shillings, and a shilling, with half-price for dogs. The takings, deducting expenses, were to go to the winner, and it was already evident that a larger stake than a hundred pounds was in que

reeking horses, stood empty before the door of the of

ewer and a basin upon it. Two of the corners were curtained off. In the middle of the room was a weighing-chair. A hugely fat man, with a salmon tie and a blue waistcoat with birds'-eye spots, came bustling up to them. It was Armit

ell. Mr. Montgomery, l

ita

that we of Croxley admire your courage, Mr. Montgomery, and that our only hope is

timent, also," sa

contrac' in hand, but a large contrac' may be carried through, sir, as any

am

ooked askance at the tall, red-headed woma

on. "Get behind the curtain a

und his waist. He was trained to a hair, his skin gleaming like silk, and every muscle rippling down his broad shoulders and along his

asked Ted Barton, his second

thou dost him to put a thread-paper yoong gentleman like yon against a mon

pund in the world, but it's on him, every penny, and no h

air which thatched his mighty breast. His weight bore no relation to his strength, for those huge shoulders and great arms, with brown, sledge-hammer fists, would have fitted the heaviest man that ever threw his cap into a ring. But his loins and legs were slight in proportion. Montgomer

do yo

leamed for an instant. The rest had been beaten out of him in twenty y

" said Mo

t butcher. "Good lads, both of them!-prime lads!

Gawd bless him!

, Gawd help him!" i

patiently. "Who art thou to put in thy word?

ve enough for thy hand to do, Jock," said she. "G

ness which is seldom seen five miles from Hyde Park. This hat he wore at the extreme back of his head, so that the lower surface of the brim made a kind of frame for

, the referee from

introduced to you at the big fight

many that I can't undertake to carry their names. Wilson, is it? Well, Mr. Wilso

roud that anyone so well known in the boxing wo

thing in the interests of bo

ing no

le against Willox. You had beaten him once, but he came back on you. What does the indicator say-163

ymi Crick

to wear them? I belon

do

an am

s,

fighting for

es

ealise that you're a professional pug from th

ver figh

e woman, and the Master tur

uth and condition on the other scale. Well, the sooner we get to work the better, for I wish to catch the seven o'clock express at

s,

then-we ma

ters, seconds, and the referee filed out of the room. A police inspector was waiting for them in

n, in case it should be necessary

f indignation. "I'm Mr. Armitage, of Croxley, and this is Mr. Wils

should be necessary to proceed,"

u know

nd. I'll not take upon myself to stop the fight, seeing that gloves are to be used, but I'll take the names of all

stare, but it's my job, and no one e

agg

Johnson. If you jug

, ye fool?" growled th

'm fair sick o'

of humanity, up a wooden ladder to a platform, over a rope which was slung waist-high from four corner-stakes, and then Montgomery realised that he was in that ring in which his immediate destiny was to be worked out. On the stake at one corner there hung a blue-and-white streamer. Barton led him across, the overcoat dangling loosely from his shoulders,

grey cloud. Right up to the topmost benches the folk were banked-broadcloth in front, corduroys and fustian behind; faces turned everywhere upon him. The grey reek of the pipes filled the building, and the air was pungent with the acrid smell of cheap, strong tobacco. Everywhere among the human faces were to be seen the heads of the dogs. They growled and yapped from the back benches. In that dense mass of

pion was a gentleman, and that another gentleman had been appointed as referee. A wave of suspicion passed through the Croxley folk. They would have one of their own people for a referee. They would not have a stranger. His path was stopped as he made for th

under it, looked round him from beneath his bushy brows. He was in the centre of a savage an

said he, "I will dec

t irritated them. Grimy hands were raised. But it was difficul

es I declare

placid face. A gnarled, grimy fist vibrated at the end of his nose. "W

e I declare t

the man conquered the swayi

n. Happen there'll b

im thr

him pass. Dost want t

referee!-room for t

one for him and one for the timekeeper. He sat down, his hands on his knees, his hat at a more wonder

ay into the ring and held up two fat hands,

. And then in a cresce

shouted another. "What price pork chops?" cried somebody at the back. Everybody laughed, and the dogs began to bark. A

-seven, and Montgomery ten-nine. The conditions of the contest are-the best of twenty three-minute rounds with two-ounce gloves. Should the fight run to its full length, it will, of course, be decided upon points. Mr. Stapleton, the well-

combatant to the other,