Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-11
THE BOOMERS


The Colonel, as astonished as if someone
had thrown bomb into the room, blinked
his fine old eyes rapidly, and leaned forward
in his chair, wondering what could have hap
pened to disturb the serenity of the meeting,
and looked anxiously from one man to an
other, selecting the one that might explain
this change from plain friendliness to open
hostility.
@Do you happen to know, Colonel Hatch,
crisply asked Thornton, whether this man
Jones Of whom you speak was ever in Fort
Scott, Kansas"
HWhy, yes, Sir! He came from there to
Seattle blandly responded the Colonel,
opening his eyes tr1f1e wider.
II told you that was where l last heard
from him." triumphantly asserted Thorn
ton, shaking an index finger across the cor
ner of the table at Carleton, and the latter
nodded angrily.
@Then what want to say to you, Colonel
Hatch" shouted Thornton, turning on the
bewildered and hapless Colonel, and shaking
a vocferous hand, @is that we'll have moth
ing to do with your man Jones, or anything
that he had hand in. He's dirty crook,
a con man! And any man who mixes up
with him knowingly is no better! And
He came to an abrupt pause; for the
Colonel had lifted himself from his chair and
IluOWil, llOHl lllS SiDOW Oul, dill dllu dIlo
hand, and his fingers, white and fine, were
distended in gesture.
@Stop!' he Numbered, his voice redolent
with command and indignation. "Stop!'
HE paused for an instant, and Thornton,
IL who was nearest, drew back and half
lifted an arm as if to shield his face from an
impending blow; while Carleton thrust his
chair backward and stood on his feet pre-
pared to meet physical violence. All around
the table men were rising to their feet and
edging away from this figure of indignation
that stood there, quivering, tense and COM
manding, like warrior that had stepped
out of the past ages to the defense of the
illuminated.
The rustic of chairs across rugs, and of
garments swayed by movement, died away
into silence, and that flashing second of
waiting seemed undu1y prolonged into
minute. The metallic clang of the elevator
in the corridor outside came through the
heavy doors with the full effect of an artillery
explosion from fields over which this gallant
old man had fought in the far-gone years.
He seemed to tower above them, dominant
figure of wrath, with a shadowy saber in
hand, as he led the charge in defense of an
absent friend, regardless of the cause. His
eyes were mere pieces of blazing steel, hot
from the furnace, glowing so rapidly from
cold scorn to fiery anger that the light
seemed to play across them. He had stiff
ened so erect that he appeared taller, and
potence was there, tensed to act as decision
might declare. His jaws were shut until the
muscles of his lean and aged cheeks were
harsh knots beneath the white skin. When
he spoke there was in his tone infinite dig
nifty, profound contempt and resolution, and
each word seemed shorn of infection.
II amt goin' to call you gentlemen" he
drawled in voice that. despite its carrying
quality, was scarcely above a whisper, and
reverting to the vernacular of Tennessee,
because you all amt worth that name.
You're the kind that cuss man out when
he amt around to defend himself! But
you're talkin' about my friend!'
He paused and his eyes swept from one to
another as if in challenge, or seeking one
who dared take upon himself the gauntlet
so bravely cast into the lists.
a repeat it, he said in a louder and more
deadly voice, firm and uncompromising,
9that Mr.. William Burmah Jones is my
friend-now last, and always! And
III say more, that either he or I would kill