Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

Picture Show, November 'AJtli. 19-0. " He must first prove t lint he is game and no quitter," sho said to herself. " 1 love him, but 1 will never marry a coward." Had she but known, it was the lack of a letter from the girl he loved that was likely to loso D'Alour the fight. When the ought of the fight arrived and she had not even sent a short note to wish him luck, he could only i.ssume that Dorothy had now no interest in him at all. Never had there been such a gathering at the Potomac Club. Over two thousand men were assembled in the big gymnasium when t lie principals entered the ring for the big fight. Gardner was the picture of a thoroughly, trained athlete as he stepped over the ropes, and his face was beaming with confidence as he nodded to his many friends. In striking contrast was the appearance of the Frenchman. True, he was beautifully trained, and his magnificently proportioned body would have served as a model for a fistic gladiator. Hut that was all that could be said about him. He was very pale and dejected, and there was a listlessuess about his whole appearance that suggested that bis heart was not in the fight. Some of Gardner's friends wynt to D"Alour's dressing-room just before they came in and ottered him as much as five to one, but he wouldn't back himself for a cent. "He's a good boxer all right, but he hasn't the heart for a real fight." The words of the speaker were justified in the first round. From the sound of tin' bell D'Alour devoted all his skill to getting away from his opponent. He boxed like a man who is without hope, and though he showed clever defence, he lacked the necessary grimness to inspire confidence. As the men went to their corners at the end of the first round as much as six to one was offered against D'Alour. but there were no takers. While his chief second was attending to the Frenchman, he kept whispering to him, "Put some spirit into your fighting. " he pleaded. " It was not in this way that our glorious soldiers kept Verdun from the Hoche. But D'Alour only smiled feebly. In the second round Gardner tore into his man, giving him no rest. Never had the club champion fought more fiercely. He showed his contempt for the Frenchman by practically ignoring defence, taking what fewpunches D'Alour sent over wit !i a mocking smile. "Pretty stuff," he sneered in one of the clinches, but it don't hurt me. Von can box. but you can't fight." But though Gardner battled like a grizzly bear robbed of her cubs, he could not land a knock -out blow on D'Alour. The Frenchman's defence was uncanny. His judgment of distance was superb, and he moved in and out with a grace that reminded one of a panther. Gardner was now Using a hard left dig to the. stomach and a right hook to the jaw. but he could not get the right home. Every time he chanced his right D'Alour anticipated the blow, and with ever such a slight movement of the head, be made the glove slip past the point of the jaw. " That Frenchman has sure got it on Gardner A-hen it comes to defence." said a veteran ring"fight reporter. " What beats me is that he doesn't attempt to hand a few wallops himself." "Too scared," remarked man a at'liis side. " He hasn't got the grit to make a fight of it. If he does Gardner will out him quick:" "You talk like a babe to a doll." remarked the veteran reporter. " I've seen every big fight since James J. Corbett put it over John L. Hullivan. and I guess i can see the yellow streak when it's around. No, sir, that Frenchie's not scared. If this were not a gentleman's club I'd swear he was doped. He's fighting like a man in a dream." "Waiting to find a soft blow that will enable him to go to dreamland." sneered the other. " You can have seven to one to any amount if you fancy that cur." "I've just got five hundred that says you're wrong." said the reporter, handing out a roll of notes. " There's sure something wrong with him, but it's not fear." "Gee!. What a chnnce for a knock-out uppereut." he muttered as Gardner, rushing in wildly was cleverly7 side-stepped by D'Alour. Having Gardner's jaw simply asking for a right jolt to the point. Hut for some reason D'Alour did not take advantage of the opening. The round finished like tho first had done. Gardner had done all the attacking and the only points D'Alour had gathered were for defence. Henri's Inspiration, THE third round was a hummer from Hummerville. Gardner, net iim on the advice of his seconds, Went out for a knock-out, but the slippery Frenchman dodged all the hard ones, (hough he took many which shook him up considerably. " Why don't you make a fight of it, you yellow quitter t" hissed Gardner. For an instant there came the lijrht of battle in the eyes of D'Alour, as he shot out a left to the face with the speed of a snake striking. It caught Gardner full in the mouth, but though it rocked his head he rushed in with a hail of blows that forced the Frenchman to the ropes. Even his marvellous skill could not save D'Alour from the hurricane attack. " I'll lay seven thousand to a thousand on Gardner," said a member quietly, but no ono took it. for at that moment D'Alour went down. " Gardner's got him !" shouted one man. " Silence !" roared the chairman of the club. The Potomac, like the famous National Sporting Club of London, tolerated no remarks between the rounds, especially when one man was on tho floor. Hut though no one else spoke, everybody was saying the same thing with their eyes. D'Alour's hail that glassy appearance that comes to a man whose senses are leaving him. Hut tho instinct of the fighter came to his aid, and he struggled up at eight seconds. Mechanically he smothered, leaving no vital opening for Gardner to get in a knock-out, and he was still on his feet when the bell rang for the end of the round. While D'Alour's seconds were working like madmen to bring their man round, the butler from Mr. Stoner's mansion forced his way to D'Alour's corner. He held out a note to the Frenchman's chief second. "Give this to him. and he will win," he said. " It is one certain thing he cannot lose it any worse than he has done," said the second, as he held out tho note to D'Alour. The latter read it and his whole frame stiffened. W in for me. — Dorothy." Only four words, but if someone had given I he Frenchman four bottles of the mythical Elixir of Life, he could not have been more changed. Gone was all Ins lethargy as he advanced at the sound of the bell. Before he had been a boxing machine, almost faultless in the science of defence, hut totally lacking the fighting spirit. Now he was like a tiger after its prey Gardner never remembered anything abouS that round. Ho saw two burning eyes set in a white face; a lithe, panther-like body hurling itself at him, then fell a fusillade of blo\n that he never saw coming and could make no ut t< nipt to stop. Hail he been a rag doll he could have been in more powerless against D'Alour's attack. II n tried to clinch and he tried to •smother up, but D'Alour literally punched out openings. Gardner went down to a terrific right to the jaw. He was dead game and got up at nine seconds, only to be sent down with a short right to the chin This time he stayed down. The fight was over. D'Alour had won. " Beckon I was right," said the veteran fight reporter as he pocketed his winnings. " I would sure like to know what was in that note. Whatever it was, it did remove that dopey feeling. Gee ! What a fighter when he started." A Happy Ending. SO far as his public utterances went, MrStoner had always set himself against tho fight, but when he got the result, his eyes twinkled and he went to his cabinet and selected a cigar that he only smoked on special occasions. It was strange, too, that he decided to give another reception, and that he made a special journey to personally invite D'Alour. There were a tremendous number of guests and D'Alour and Dorothy had little opportunity for a long talk, but the young Frenchman managed to tell the girl the thing that was nearest his heart. " 1 love you Dorothy, as 1 have never loved anyone before, and never thought I could lo\o anyone. Will you marry me, dear ? " I have never loved anyone else," murmured Dorothy. "Even when 1 was angry with you for not making Gardner take back his cruel words, I knew I loved you." " Listen, dear," said D'Alour lowering his voice impressively. " There were reasons why I did not wish to cpiarrel with Gardner. You know now that those reasons were not fear. But the same reasons why I did not wish to fight Gardner, still control my life. 1 want you to trust me. No matter how strange the circumstances are 1 want you to trust me. There are enemies who seek to ruin me, but with your trust f do not fear them." There was no time for him to get Dorothy's answer, for at that moment Mrs. Stoner called her step-daughter. One of the features of the reception was a great swimming and fancy diving competition in a magnificent sw imming pool in the Stoner mansion. Henri D'Alour proved himself as wonderful (Continued on page 8 I GEORGES CARPENTIER as Henri D'Alour getting ready lor the fight, talking to his manager, Franjois Deseanips, who played the part oi bis chief second in the film.