the night-born-第30节

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Kelly　went　straight　to　the　point。



〃Look　here；　Roberts；　you've　been　bragging　you　discovered　this

little　Mexican。　You　know　Carthey's　broke　his　arm。　Well；　this

little　yellow　streak　has　the　gall　to　blow　in　to…day　and　say

he'll　take　Carthey's　place。　What　about　it？〃



〃It's　all　right；　Kelly；〃　came　the　slow　response。　〃He　can　put　up

a　fight。〃



〃I　suppose　you'll　be　sayin'　next　that　he　can　lick　Ward；〃　Kelly

snapped。



Roberts　considered　judicially。



〃No；　I　won't　say　that。　Ward's　a　top…notcher　and　a　ring　general。

But　he　can't　hashhouse　Rivera　in　short　order。　I　know　Rivera。

Nobody　can　get　his　goat。　He　ain't　got　a　goat　that　I　could　ever

discover。　And　he's　a　two…handed　fighter。　He　can　throw　in　the

sleep…makers　from　any　position。〃



〃Never　mind　that。　What　kind　of　a　show　can　he　put　up？　You've

been　conditioning　and　training　fighters　all　your　life。　I　take

off　my　hat　to　your　judgment。　Can　he　give　the　public　a　run　for

its　money？〃



〃He　sure　can；　and　he'll　worry　Ward　a　mighty　heap　on　top　of　it。

You　don't　know　that　boy。　I　do。　I　discovered　him。　He　ain't　got　a

goat。　He's　a　devil。　He's　a　wizzy…wooz　if　anybody　should　ask

you。　He'll　make　Ward　sit　up　with　a　show　of　local　talent　that'll

make　the　rest　of　you　sit　up。　I　won't　say　he'll　lick　Ward；　but

he'll　put　up　such　a　show　that　you'll　all　know　he's　a　comer。〃



〃All　right。〃　Kelly　turned　to　his　secretary。　〃Ring　up　Ward。　I

warned　him　to　show　up　if　I　thought　it　worth　while。　He's　right

across　at　the　Yellowstone；　throwin'　chests　and　doing　the

popular。〃



Kelly　turned　back　to　the　conditioner。　〃Have　a　drink？〃



Roberts　sipped　his　highball　and　unburdened　himself。



〃Never　told　you　how　I　discovered　the　little　cuss。　It　was　a

couple　of　years　ago　he　showed　up　out　at　the　quarters。　I　was

getting　Prayne　ready　for　his　fight　with　Delaney。　Prayne's

wicked。　He　ain't　got　a　tickle　of　mercy　in　his　make…up。　I

chopped　up　his　pardner's　something　cruel；　and　I　couldn't　find　a

willing　boy　that'd　work　with　him。　I'd　noticed　this　little

starved　Mexican　kid　hanging　around；　and　I　was　desperate。　So　I

grabbed　him；　shoved　on　the　gloves　and　put　him　in。　He　was

tougher'n　rawhide；　but　weak。　And　he　didn't　know　the　first

letter　in　the　alphabet　of　boxing。　Prayne　chopped　him　to

ribbons。　But　he　hung　on　for　two　sickening　rounds；　when　he

fainted。　Starvation；　that　was　all。　Battered！　You　couldn't　have

recognized　him。　I　gave　him　half　a　dollar　and　a　square　meal。　You

oughta　seen　him　wolf　it　down。　He　hadn't　had　the　end　of　a　bite

for　a　couple　of　days。　That's　the　end　of　him；　thinks　I。　But　next

day　he　showed　up；　stiff　an'　sore；　ready　for　another　half　and　a

square　meal。　And　he　done　better　as　time　went　by。　Just　a　born

fighter；　and　tough　beyond　belief。　He　hasn't　a　heart。　He's　a

piece　of　ice。　And　he　never　talked　eleven　words　in　a　string

since　I　know　him。　He　saws　wood　and　does　his　work。〃



〃I've　seen　'm；〃　the　secretary　said。　〃He's　worked　a　lot　for　you。〃



〃All　the　big　little　fellows　has　tried　out　on　him；〃　Roberts

answered。　〃And　he's　learned　from　'em。　I've　seen　some　of　them　he

could　lick。　But　his　heart　wasn't　in　it。　I　reckoned　he　never

liked　the　game。　He　seemed　to　act　that　way。〃



〃He's　been　fighting　some　before　the　little　clubs　the　last　few

months；〃　Kelly　said。



〃Sure。　But　I　don't　know　what　struck　'm。　All　of　a　sudden　his

heart　got　into　it。　He　just　went　out　like　a　streak　and　cleaned

up　all　the　little　local　fellows。　Seemed　to　want　the　money；　and

he's　won　a　bit；　though　his　clothes　don't　look　it。　He's

peculiar。　Nobody　knows　his　business。　Nobody　knows　how　he　spends

his　time。　Even　when　he's　on　the　job；　he　plumb　up　and　disappears

most　of　each　day　soon　as　his　work　is　done。　Sometimes　he　just

blows　away　for　weeks　at　a　time。　But　he　don't　take　advice。

There's　a　fortune　in　it　for　the　fellow　that　gets　the　job　of

managin'　him；　only　he　won't　consider　it。　And　you　watch　him　hold

out　for　the　cash　money　when　you　get　down　to　terms。〃



It　was　at　this　stage　that　Danny　Ward　arrived。　Quite　a　party　it

was。　His　manager　and　trainer　were　with　him；　and　he　breezed　in

like　a　gusty　draught　of　geniality；　good…nature；　and

all…conqueringness。　Greetings　flew　about；　a　joke　here；　a　retort

there；　a　smile　or　a　laugh　for　everybody。　Yet　it　was　his　way；

and　only　partly　sincere。　He　was　a　good　actor；　and　he　had　found

geniality　a　most　valuable　asset　in　the　game　of　getting　on　in

the　world。　But　down　underneath　he　was　the　deliberate；

cold…blooded　fighter　and　business　man。　The　rest　was　a　mask。

Those　who　knew　him　or　trafficked　with　him　said　that　when　it

came　to　brass　tacks　he　was　Danny…on…the…Spot。　He　was　invariably

present　at　all　business　discussions；　and　it　was　urged　by　some

that　his　manager　was　a　blind　whose　only　function　was　to　serve

as　Danny's　mouth…piece。



Rivera's　way　was　different。　Indian　blood；　as　well　as　Spanish；

was　in　his　veins；　and　he　sat　back　in　a　corner；　silent；

immobile；　only　his　black　eyes　passing　from　face　to　face　and

noting　everything。



〃So　that's　the　guy；〃　Danny　said；　running　an　appraising　eye　over

his　proposed　antagonist。　〃How　de　do；　old　chap。〃



Rivera's　eyes　burned　venomously；　but　he　made　no　sign　of

acknowledgment。　He　disliked　all　Gringos；　but　this　Gringo　he

hated　with　an　immediacy　that　was　unusual　even　in　him。



〃Gawd！〃　Danny　protested　facetiously　to　the　promoter。　〃You　ain't

expectin'　me　to　fight　a　deef　mute。〃　When　the　laughter　subsided；

he　made　another　hit。　〃Los　Angeles　must　be　on　the　dink　when　this

is　the　best　you　can　scare　up。　What　kindergarten　did　you　get　'm

from？〃



〃He's　a　good　little　boy；　Danny；　take　it　from　me；〃　Roberts

defended。　〃Not　as　easy　as　he　looks。〃



〃And　half　the　house　is　sold　already；〃　Kelly　pleaded。　〃You'll

have　to　take　'm　on；　Danny。　It　is　the　best　we　can　do。〃



Danny　ran　another　careless　and　unflattering　glance　over　Rivera

and　sighed。　



〃I　gotta　be　easy　with　'm；　I　guess。　If　only　he　don't　blow　up。〃



Roberts　snorted。



〃You　gotta　be　careful；〃　Danny's　manager　warned。　〃No　taking

chances　with　a　dub　that's　likely　to　sneak　a　lucky　one　across。〃



〃Oh；　I'll　be　careful　all　right；　all　right；〃　Danny　smiled。　〃I'll

get　in　at　the　start　an'　nurse　'im　along　for　the　dear　public's

sake。　What　d'　ye　say　to　fifteen　rounds；　Kellyan'　then　the　hay

for　him？〃



〃That'll　do；〃　was　the　answer。　〃As　long　as　you　make　it

realistic。〃



〃Then　let's　get　down　to　biz。〃　Danny　paused　and　calculated。　〃Of

course；　sixty…five　per　cent　of　the　gate　receipts；　same　as　with

Carthey。　But　the　split'll　be　different。　Eighty　will　just　about

suit　me。〃　And　to　his　manager；　〃That　right？〃



The　manager　nodded。



〃Here；　you；　did　you　get　that？〃　Kelly　asked　Rivera。



Rivera　shook　his　head。



〃Well；　it　is　this　way；〃　Kelly　exposited。　〃The　purse'll　be

sixty…five　per　cent　of　the　gate　receipts。　You're　a　dub；　and　an

unknown。　You　and　Danny　split；　twenty　per　cent　goin'　to　you；　an'

eighty　to　Danny。　That's　fair；　isn't　it；　Roberts？〃



〃Very　fair；　Rivera；〃　Roberts　agreed。



〃You　see；　you　ain't　got　a　reputation　yet。〃



〃What　will　sixty…five　per　cent　of　the　gate　receipts　be？〃　Rivera

demanded。



〃Oh；　maybe　five　thousand；　maybe　as　high　as　eight　thousand；〃

Danny　broke　in　to　explain。　〃Something　like　that。　Your　share'll

come　to　something　like　a　thousand　or　sixteen　hundred。　Pretty

good　for　takin'　a　licking　from　a　guy　with　my　reputation。　What

d'　ye　say？〃



Then　Rivera　took　their　breaths　away。　〃Winner　takes　all；〃　he

said　with　finality。



A　dead　silence　prevailed。



〃It's　like　candy　from　a　baby；〃　Danny's　manager　proclaimed。



Danny　shook　his　head。



〃I've　been　in　the　game　too　long；〃　he　explained。



〃I'm　not　casting　reflections　on　the　referee；　or　the　present

company。　I'm　not　sayin'　nothing　about　book…makers　an'　frame…ups

that　sometimes　happen。　But　what　I　do　say　is　that　it's　poor

business　for　a　fighter　like　me。　I　play　safe。　There's　no

tellin'。　Mebbe　I　break　my　arm；　eh？　Or　some　guy　slips　me　a　bunch

of　dope？〃　He　shook　his　head　solemnly。　〃Win　or　lose；　eighty　is

my　split。　What　d'　ye　say；　Mexican？〃



Rivera　shook　his　head。



Danny　exploded。　He　was　getting　down　to　brass　tacks　now。



〃Why；　you　dirty　little　greaser！　I've　a　mind　to　knock　your　block

off　right　now。〃



Roberts　drawled　his　body　to　interposition　between　hostilities。



〃Winner　takes　all；〃　Rivera　repeated　sullenly。



〃Why　do　you　stand　out　that　way？〃　Danny　asked。



〃I　can　lick　you；〃　was　the　straight　answer。



Danny　half　started　to　take　off　his　coat。　But；　as　his　manager

knew；　it　was　a　grand　stand　play。　The　coat　did　not　come　off；　and

Danny　allowed　himself　to　be　placated　by　the　group。　Everybody

sympathized　with　him。　Rivera　stood　alone。



〃Look　here；　you　little　fool；〃　Kelly　took　up　the　argument。

〃You're　nobody。　We　know　what　you　ve　been　doing　the　last　few

monthsputting　away　little　local　fighters。　But　Danny　is　class。

His　next　fight　after　this　will　be　for　the　championship。　And

you're　unknown。　Nobody　ever　heard　of　you　out　of　Los　Angeles。