t much, certainly," said he.

"You've tried and failed."

"Yes, I must admit it."

"What else is there? The law?"

"Good gracious, no!"

"Then it is my turn, George, and I won't be balked."

"I don't think any one is capable of balking you, _cara mia_. Certainly
I, for one, should never dream of trying. But I don't feel as if I could
co-operate."

"I never asked you to."

"No, you certainly never did. You are perfectly capable of doing it
alone. I think, with your leave, if you have quite done with your
prize-fighter, we will drive back to London. I would not for the world
miss Goldoni in the Opera."

So they drifted away; he, frivolous and dilettante, she with her face as
set as Fate, leaving the fighting men to their business.

And now the day came when Cribb was able to announce to his employer
that his man was as fit as science could make him.

"I can do no more, ma'am. He's fit to fight for a kingdom. Another week
would see him stale."

The lady looked Spring over with the eye of a connoisseur.

"I think he does you credit," she said at last. "Today is Tuesday. He
will fight the day after tomorrow."

"Very good, ma'am. Where shall he go?"

"I will tell you exactly, and you will please take careful note of all
that I say. You, Mr. Cribb, will take your man down to the Golden Cross
Inn at Charing Cross by nine o'clock on Wednesday morning. He will take
the Brighton coach as far as Tunbridge Wells, where he will alight at
the Royal Oak Arms. There he will take such refreshment as you advise
before a fight. He will wait at the Royal Oak Arms until he receives
a message by word, or by letter, brought him by a groom in a mulberry
livery. This message will give him his final instructions."

"And I am not to come?"

"No," said the lady.

"But surely, ma'am," he pleaded, "I may come as far as Tunbridge Wells?
It's hard on a man to train a cove for a fight and then to leave him."

"It can't be helped. You are too well known. Your arrival would spread
all over the town, and my plans might suffer. It is quite out of the
question that you should come."

"Well, I'll do what you tell me, but it's main hard."

"I suppose," said Spring, "you would have me bring my fightin' shorts
and my spiked shoes?"

"No; you will kindly bring nothing whatever which may point to your
trade. I would have you wear just those clothes in which I saw you
first, such clothes as any mechanic or artisan might be expected to