The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-17
COL0NEL JIM


something better to do, and without any
thought or idea Of anything or anybody
There were only about half dozen
members present. to one only of whom
Charlie Maxwell ia his Dre-nuptial
days an inveterate globe trotter. as ]
myself stlA Was-l was personally
known
just nodded to him, as I saw that he
Egas engaged in conversation with an in
dfvidual whom never remembered to
have seen at the club before.
Though he was sitting back in the
depChs of a big armchair / gathered
that he was tan and athIetically built
Ills hair and heavy mustache were
snowy white yet his features had that
lcCS OF perpetual youth about them
which some men retain to the close even
OF uatriarchal life.
Bu6 it was not so much the wonderful
youfEfulnesS OF the man q reckoned
him to be at least sixty years Of age)
as the almost WOmanly expression of
Tenderness in his eyes that attracted
me 1t old not detract one iota from
his nanliness. 1t simply supplied the
Ole th1ng necessary to make that man
liness Perfect and complete.
was on the point Of leaving when
there entered the room a man for whom
I, in common with most of the club
members. had an unmifigated dislike.
Coarse OF speech. Ostenta1iously Vul-
gar IN his manner. and, in Iact. an
absolute impossible" from the social
point Of view, it was perennial source
III ntAaAlEL Win every D0tLE nDW ne EOHlQ
ever have been admitted to "Cosmopoli-
tan" ms mbership.
1t was rumored that he was the mil
1onalre son of q deceased East End
ready made" tailor Of Semitic descent,
and that he owed his admission among
'1s to the largely exerted influence of a
certain impecunious peer. his great
friend, and one Of the original promot-
The truth Of this could not be exactly
proved, although after events showed
that for once rumor did not act up to its
reputation for lying.
Almost Immediately after this very
estimable individuals entrance-his
name. by the way. was Marcus Disch-
NANNY friend Maxwell came across to
Wnere / stood looking out of the win
uoW into Piccadilly. and shook hands
asking me to excuse him for ten min
utes, and saying that he would have a
chat with me on his return. Complete
silence reigned in the room after Max
Wei departure, broken only by the
rustic OF newspapers or an occasional
Then I was suddenly startled by the
voice o. Dischman raised in loud alter
cation
I turned sharply round and saw that
ne was standing straddle-legged in front
OF the white haired gentleman's chair.
Ragging his head and fOrehnger in time
70 a stream Of angry abuse
You've monopolized that paper ever
since I've been in the room and for
now long before goodness only knOwsf
4Jo you think you've bought the place
9uSI because you've been IA the arrny?''
Inc occupant of the armchair rose up
out Of 1T to his fun height Of well over
six feet, and calmly laid down the paper
&c had been reading on the table beside
It was then that I noticed for the first
time that his right sleeve was empty,
Indicating the loss of his arm.
sir he said with quiet irony, 'it
e e eylaent to me that you have not been
lA lne army, lnasmuch as the officer
invariably implies the gentleman"
Ihe retort might have been in1udi-
clous but 1t was certainly richly de-
Furious with passion. Dischman ex-
tended his arm and violently shook the
empty sleeve pinned Up to the lapel Of
the others coat.
You dare to taunt me! Yout" he
shrieked- How came you by this? Not
IN battle! No! DO you think I have
not heard of a certain gentleman's lit
re affair with a certain young lady?
The motor car ride to Brighton!-too
mucn champagne!-a spilli-and
smashed arm2 Do you think I don't
know ban! you got your deserts, Mr..
OHheer and gentlemani''
The rest of US thought It high time
now to interfere. for the wretched cad
was evidently contemplating further
violence.
The matter. however was suddenly
AH+-AEll OAAA VI Qu4 AdLQS.
unseen by me. Maxwell had come
into the room and had heard the frantic
speech Of Dischnan.
AS the last word left the bully's
mouth Maxwell's hand was on his collar
and his knuckles pressing uncomfort-
ably upon his collar bone.
Swinging the fellow around, he didn't
speak to him. but summoning waiter.
bid him call the club secretary.
Held securely in Maxwell's grip.
Dischman looked the picture of vulgar
discontinue
MIR. Shaw said Maxwell to the sec
Eetary when he appeared. 4 take the
responsibility OF demanding from you
this mans instant expulsion He has
not only grossly insulted Col. FERGUSON,
Eesortng even to personal violence. but
py SO doing on the club premises has in
suited also every member of it. If you
do not accede to my request I, and I
Nhink every right minded and self re-
Epectiug member, will Immediately send
In our designations"
Maxwell slightly loOsened his hold
while addressing the secretary, enabling
Dischman to shake himself free.
With one glance of sc0rching hate at
his late captOr Dischman, not waiting
for the secretary's decision. walked out
Of the room. and of the club, which lat
ter he has never again entered since
that day.
Colonel Ferguson, far from being
upset or disturbed by what had Oc~
Cured, had quietly resumed his seat
and his paper
Talbot" said Maxwell, "allow me
70 introduce you to Colonel James
ferguson. D. S. O., late Dragon
Guards; but known to all who love
him as Colonel Jim. Colonel, my old
friend Archie Talbot, whom 1 haven't
seen for all the years he has been wan
deriug about the earth.''
Mr.. Talbot, pleased to know you;
though warn you to take everything
Charlie Maxwell has to say about me
with a very large grain Of SALT
If when silent he was attractive in
conversation he was delightful What
I subsequently learned about him from
Maxwell, especially concerning one
-