ur of amazement ran through the hall.

"_It's Ralph Wonderson!_" Lady Margaret gripped her brother's arm till
the perspiration stood out on his forehead.

"_It's Ralph Wonderson!_" The whisper passed from lip to lip, merging
presently into a burst of cheering as Mauler Mills scrambled up to the
platform, wearing an electric-blue dressing-gown with green facings and
pink sash.

Ralph sat motionless in his corner, watching his gigantic adversary with
a pleasant smile and softly whistling the air of a popular song. At
length the referee leisurely entered the ring. As he did so, Ralph gave
a violent start and Lady Margaret gripped her brother's arm till his
teeth chattered. _The referee was not the popular Algernon Mittens, as
had been announced, but Sir Ernest Scrivener!_

Lord Tamerton stared up at the ring with ashen lips. With such an
official in charge nothing but a miracle could save Ralph Wonderson from
being disqualified in the first round. The House of Tamerton was more
utterly ruined than ever.

But in thirty seconds Ralph, trained in many sports to meet all
emergencies, had summed up the situation and decided upon his course of
action.

The gong sounded and the two pugilists advanced warily towards each
other. Suddenly Ralph lashed out a terrific right which, as he intended,
missed the Mauler by a foot. Unable, apparently, to retain his balance,
he swung completely round with the impetus of the blow, and his clenched
fist landed squarely upon the referee's jaw. Sir Ernest shot high over
the ropes and crashed down on the Dowager Duchess of Cumbersea, whence
he rebounded with terrible force into the arms of the Marquis of
Meltington.

After a brief delay all three were removed to the hospital.

* * * * *

The fight, under a new referee, was in its twentieth round. Not a sound
could be heard beyond the shuffling of the pugilists' feet and the thud
of fist on flesh.

Feinting with his left, the Mauler clinched heavily with his right, but
Ralph foiled the attack with a clever half-nelson. Again Mills swung his
right, and again Ralph parried the blow, this time by sending his left
to the funny-bone and thus paralysing the arm. He then dashed in and
uppercut his opponent severely on the occiput. Mauler Mills staggered to
the ropes, to which he clung frantically in order to preserve his
balance.

A savage roar went up from the crowd, roused now to a pitch of frenzied
exciteme