The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-11-28

CHAPTER I.--CoNTINuED.
For the first time In his life, Brant
wished to evade him. In the days OF
his own prosperity his heart had al
ways gone out towards this old COM
panion of his boyhood; in his present
humiliation his presence Jared upon
him. He would have slipped away, but
TO do so he would have had to pass be-
fore the counter again, and Hooker,
with the self-eonsciousness of a story
teller. had an eye on his audience.
Brant, with palm leaf fan before his
face, was obliged to listen.
Eyes, gentlemen" said Hooker. ex-
aiming his glass dramatically, "when
q mans been cooped up in rebel
prison, with death line before him
that he's obliged to cross every time
he wants n square drink, IL seems sort
of like a dream of his boyhood TO be
standin' here comf'ble before his liquor,
alongside o. white men once more. And
when he knows he's bin put 10 all that
trouble Jest to save the reputation OF
another man, and the secrets of few
high and mighty ones, it's almost
enough TO make his liquor go agin
himl" He stopped theatrically, seemed
TO choke emotionally over his brandy
smash, but with pause of dramatic
determination finally dashed 1t down.
"No, gentlemen" he continued, gloom
ily. II don't say what I'm back in
Washington for--I don't say what I've
bin sayin' to myself when I've bin pick
49,. AZ. ,..oowala o,.taw .v,xr hfoauffo IL,
Libby prison--but eff you don't see some
pretty big men in the war department
obliged 10 climb down in the next few
days my name amt Jim Hooker. OF
Hooker, Meecham g. Co.. army beef
contractors. and the man who saved
the fight at Gray Oal1sl"
The smile of satisfaction that went
around his audience-an audience quick
to seize the weakness of any perform
ance-might have startled vanity less
oblivious than Hooker's, but IL only
aroused Brant's Indignation and pity,
and made his position still more in
tolerable But Hooker, scornfully ex-
pectorating thin stream OF tobacco
Juice against the spittoon, remained
for an instant gloomily silent.
"Tell us about the fight again." said
>smiling auditor.
Hooker looked around the room with
a certain dark suspiciousness, and then
in an affected lower voice, which his
theatrical experience made perfectly
audible, went on: at amt much TO
speak OF, and il IL wasn't for the prin-
siple of the thing / wouldn't be talk
in. A man who's seen Injin fghtin'
don't go much on this here West Point
fightin' by rule-of-three--bu that amt
here or there. Well, I'd bin out a-scout-
in'--just To help the boys along, and j
was sittin' in my wagon about day
break. when along comes n brigadier
general, and he looks into the wagon
flap. oughter to tell you first, gentle
men, that every mint he wns expect
in an attack--but he didn't let on a
hint of IL 20 me. How are you, JimY
says he. How are you, gencral?' says
4. Would you mind lending me your
coat and hat p says he. i've got little
lgame here with my piclSets, and don't
want 10 be recognized Anything to
oblige, general says I. and with that
I strips of my coat and hat, and he
peels and puts them on. Nearly the
same figure. jim he says, lookin' at
me. Suppose you just try ON my things
and see. With that he hands me his
roat--full uniform. by God-with the
little gold cords and laccs and the ep-
aulets with a star. and puts IL on
quite innocent like. And then he says,
handin' me his sword and belt. Same
inches round the waist. too, ! reckon
and / puts that on. too. You may as
well keep 'em on till / come back says
he, for it's mighty damp and malarioua
at this time around the swamp And
with that he lights out. Well, gentle
men. hadn't sat there five minutes
before bnngl bangl rnttlcl rattlel kerr
shit and hear yell. steps out Of
the wagon. cserything's quite dark. but
the rattle goes on. Then along trots
IAN orderly lendin' n horse. Mount,
general he says. We're nttncked--
the rear guards on usl'
lie paused, looked around his audi
cucc aud then I'm lower voice said,
darlkly; II amt fool. gentlemen. and
in that minute a mans brain works at
high pressure. and ! saw IL nlll saw
the little game of the brigadicr--so
slsunk away In my clothes and leave me
tc be captured In his. But dog.
neither. and mounted that horse, gem
tleincn. and lit out 60 where the men
were formin'l | didn't dare 70 speak
lest they should know me. but waved
my sword. and by G----i they followed
me. And the next minute we was Ia
4he thick OF Il. had my hat az full OF
holes as that Ice strniner: had dozen
bullets through my coat. the fringe Of