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cock from their assigned cockhouse according to the exact weight on the slip。 If they fail to show a cock making the weight within the check margin； that fight is forfeited to the other cocker who can。 The metal band on the leg of the heeled cock is checked by the weight…and…time official immediately prior to the fight and then removed； If the cock wasn't banded by one of the tourney officials upon arrival； the cock is a ringer。 In theory； banding upon arrival at a tourney appears to be a sound practice； but bands can be purchased from a dozen or more manufacturers of cocking supplies by anybody who wants to pay for them。 The man who wants to cheat by entering a sure loser； for instance； instead of a legitimate fighter； can buy all the metal leg bands he wants to； and clamp one on a ringer in a couple of seconds。
Banding had been eliminated at the S。C。 Tourney。 Every cock pitted at the S。C。 Tourney was a four…time winner at an authorized cockpit or game club。 And all the wins were entered upon an official record sheet and initialed by the pit operator。 Weighing…in at the tourney consisted of checking each gamecock against his record sheet and description and weighing the gamecock itself。 Minor weight variations were taken into account by the official。
The system wasn't foolproof。 It was still possible to substitute a runner for one of the checked…in fighters； but a man would be a fool to try it。 Among the spectators were most of the S。C。 pit operators who could recognize at sight the gamecocks that had fought in their pits earlier in the season。 If one of them or one of the other entries spotted a ringer； the man who tried to pull a fast one was through with cockfighting。 His name went out on a blacklist to every U。S。 pit operator； and the blacklist of crooked cockfighters was published annually in the April issue of every U。S。 game fowl magazine。
The four…win stipulation was a tough rule； but I was all for it because it separated the amateurs from the professionals and raised the breeding standards of game fowl。 This single rule had been the biggest advance in U。S。 cockfighting since the late Sol P。 McCall had originated the modern tournament。 Many of the fans and gamblers who attended the two…day event traveled thousands of miles to see it； but they knew they would get their money's worth。 The fighting would be fast； and every cock shown had proven himself to be dead game。
After pleting the weighing…in； which took about an hour； our thirty…one gamecocks were transferred to their stalls inside the cockhouse。 We gave each bird a half dip of water； and I scattered a very small portion of grain on the moss…packed floor of each coop to give them some exercise after the long trip。 We dropped the canvas covers over the coops to keep the birds quiet； locked the door； and drove the short distance to the senator's home to sign the guest register。
I believe that Omar was impressed by the senator's home。 I had been the first time I stayed there； and it still gave me a warm feeling to see the big house as we topped the rise and parked in front of the wide veranda。 The mansion was one of the better southern examples of modified English Georgian。 There are many great homes like it in the southern states； but not many of them are as well tended as they should be。 It takes a lot of money。 Good craftsmanship had been insisted upon when the house had been constructed。 All the doors； and even the windows； had ornate； carved designs。 The great balustrade that led from the downstairs hall to the upstairs bedrooms had been formed and curved for the purpose from a single tree。 There was enough room to sleep thirty guests； but except for the official entries； their wives； and pit officials； spectators attending the meet had to find acmodations in a hotel or motel in Milledgeville。
As we climbed the steps to the veranda； the front door opened and Ed Middleton came out and grabbed my hand。 He laughed at my expression and said fondly in his deep； booming voice： 〃You didn't expect to see me here； did you？ How's my pretty blue chicken getting along？〃
In a lightweight gray linen suit； with a pink…and…gray striped tie； Ed didn't look like a sick man to me； but the brown circles under his eyes were a little darker on his pale face。 He looked happy； however； and he hadn't been happy when I last saw him in Orlando。 Despite his appearance of well…being； he was still liable to have a heart attack at any moment。
Still gripping Ed's hand； I jerked my head for Omar to e forward and introduce himself。
〃How do you do？〃 Omar said。 〃I've seen you referee； Mr。 Middleton； but I've never had the pleasure of meeting you。〃
〃Glad to meet you at last then； Mr。 Baradinsky。 Evidently you've been a settling influence on my boy here。 When I heard about the holdup in Chattanooga； I checked right away； and don't think I wasn't surprised when I learned that you two had pulled out before the meet！ The old Frank Mansfield I knew would've been right in there； reaching for the ceiling with the rest of 'em。〃
Omar laughed。 〃If there's any influencing going on； Mr。 Middleton； it's Frank working on me； not the other way around。〃
〃Well； e on in；〃 Ed entered the hail ahead of us。 〃I'm not the official greeter here； Mr。 Baradinsky。 I'm only filling in for Mrs。 Pierce。 She had to go downtown for something or other。〃 Ed snapped his fingers at a grinning Negro boy of fourteen or fifteen in a white short jacket。 〃Take the bags out of the station wagon to Number Five upstairs。〃
〃Yes； sir！〃 the boy said quickly。 He had been eager enough to get our luggage； but the three of us had blocked his way。
While Omar and I signed the guest register； Ed Middleton surprised me again。
〃I'm not here as a spectator； Frank；〃 he explained。 〃I'm the referee； and don't think I won't be watching every move you make in the pits。〃 He turned to my partner。 〃I retired a while back from active cockfighting； Mr。 Baradinsky； but I decided later that I was too young to quit。〃
Ed laughed； and then he looked at me； staring directly into my eyes。 〃I promised Martha I'd quit； as you know； Frank〃…he shrugged…〃but now the promise doesn't mean anything…now that she's passed away。 And I know damned well she wouldn't want me sitting around all by myself。〃
I nodded sympathetically and smiled。 Two full and active days on his feet could very well kill Ed Middleton。 And yet； I was still glad to see him and delighted to learn that he was the Number One pit official。 Suppose he did keel over dead？ That was a much better way to go than eating his guts out with boredom while he stared at a grove of orange trees。
〃Say； Frank；〃 Ed snapped his fingers as we started to go upstairs； 〃did your partner ever see the senator's flock of fancy chickens？〃
〃No； I haven't； Mr。 Middleton；〃 Omar said； 〃although I've heard enough about them。〃
〃Good！ Mrs。 Pierce'll be back soon； and I'll take you on the ten…cent guided tour。〃
We climbed the stairs to the second floor to where the Negro boy held the door open。 I gave him a five…dollar bill； which was plenty； but Omar gave him a five as well。 The boy was so astonished by the size of the two gratuities； he return