The Equinox (Volume I, Number V)

THE EQUINOX “Of course." “ And she preferred to stay ? " " Of course." “ Here’s the Cirque, anyhow.” " We’ll hope for a clean fight.” The second round was just over as they took their seats. Sam Hall was solid and furious, looking an ounce or two overtrained; Joe Marie looked hardly human, his black skin gleaming, his arms so long as to seem almost disproportionate. He seemed apathetic; he reminded one of indiarubber. It was not till the sixth round that any warm exchanges took place. Then Ida sat up. Joe had sent a sharp upper cut to the Englishman’s lip. She dug her nails into Rolles’ hand, that lay idly on her knee. Sam Hall returned a blow on the heart that sent the negro staggering across the ring. He was after him like a flash, thinking to finish the fight; but the black countered unexpectedly hard, and the round finished in a clinch. In the seventh round both men seemed cautious and afraid of punishment. Joe Marie, in particular, seemed half asleep. The lazy grace of his feints was admirable; he was tiring the Englishman, and paying nothing for the advantage. In the ninth round Sam Hall reached his eye; but he only laughed, and leapt at his opponent, rushing him to the ropes despite the extra stone and a half. In the furious exchanges both men gave and took a great deal of punishment. In a sense, it was bad boxing. The tenth round showed Joe Marie awake at last. He led repeatedly, and thrice got home on the white man‘s face. Ida was rubbing her body against Edgar’s like a cat. 122