Suddenly he walked to his mirror and surveyed himself. His face was puffed and marred with adhesive tape. “Here I am alone in this room,” he thought, “and success, cheers, victory, what have they brought me? What have I? Who have I? No one.”

He started pitying himself. He felt abused.

“What did Charlie care except for himself? Just the lousy dollar was all he wanted, and to go around braggin’: ‘I made him. I put him over. I own him body and soul.’

“Would Charlie give up a woman that he loved? Would he give up a woman for me? Like hell! Bet if I went to his room now, I’d find a dame there. Here he goes denyin’ me happiness when just seein’ the woman I love is all I want. That’s all I need.”

He looked again at his cut face reflected in the mirror. If she were here she’d kiss those bruises well. If I don’t see her somebody else will. Hell, I can’t stand it. I’m going to her. To hell with everybody else!

The Bearcat snatched up his hat from the bed and slammed the door as he dashed for the elevator.

IX CELEBRATION

A MONTH ago, it was Charlie whom the Bearcat was grateful to, worshipped and wanted to please . . . Charlie was God to him. He lived only to sweat and train and grind for Charlie; to be rewarded with an approving smile or, better still, a hand-shake and slap on the back. Now he wanted Babe’s caresses—her kisses, the sweet joy of her nearness, for he loved her more dearly than pugilistic fame, more passionately than words could express.

The Bearcat entered Joe Malone’s hotel and from the desk phoned up to Joe and announced his arrival. In another minute he was in the elevator, had stepped out at the tenth floor, and rather breathlessly entered Joe’s room.

Joe embraced him and kissed him on both raw cheeks in burlesque of French cordiality and then did a dance on the bed covers.

“Bearcat!” he exclaimed, with enthusiasm. “That dump club ain’t seen anythin’ as classy as ’at mix tonight.”

Babe sat cameo-d against a blue velvet overstuffed chair, with an amber floor lamp shedding a soft glow on her smiling features.

The Bearcat went over to her.

“I want to apologize for Charlie’s actin’ crazy like that tonight, Babe,” he said, with a pleading look.

“That’s all right, honey,” Babe said, placing her hand on his arm. “Charlie gets excited and don’t. know what he’s sayin’.”

Joe was tossing chunks of ice into three glasses.