BURT L. STANDISH Ultimate Collection: 24 Action Thrillers in One Volume (Illustrated). Burt L. Standish
the open door a supple, well-built, dark-faced lad sprang into the room. His eyes were flashing, and his teeth came together over his words with a click.
It was Jack Diamond himself!
CHAPTER X.
A FIGHT AGAINST ODDS.
"Diamond!"
"Great Scott!"
"Here's trouble!"
The lads about the table sprang to their feet, giving utterance to these exclamations. Willis Paulding was the only one who did not say anything, and he failed to speak because the sound seemed to stick in his throat.
Diamond's manner showed that he was fully aroused by what he had overheard, and that he meant "fight" was evident. The hot blood of the Old South was pulsating in his veins and flaming darkly, like a danger signal, in his face.
Pointing straight at Tom Thornton, Jack slowly and distinctly said, his manner showing the struggle he was making to hold himself in check:
"Mr. Thornton, you are a liar! More than that, Mr. Thornton, you know you are a liar!"
Thornton quailed a bit, and then, in sudden fury, he flung back:
"And you are an eavesdropper, Jack Diamond. Eavesdroppers seldom hear good of themselves!"
The muscles of the Virginian's face twitched, and his clinched hands were quivering.
"By accident I overheard what you were saying," he declared. "I was looking for a friend, and so came into this place, which I seldom visit. I was told a party of students had gathered here, and as I entered the room adjoining, I heard my name spoken by you—I heard you declare that, like a cur, I fawned about Merriwell when he had whipped me."
"And I say it again!" cried Thornton, hotly. "It is the truth. Your boasted Southern courage is a sham. You have shown that."
Diamond walked forward to the table.
"Mr. Thornton," he said, "you are among friends, and I am alone, but I brand you as a liar!"
As he uttered the words he picked up a partly emptied glass of wine and dashed the contents in Thornton's face.
"There!" he cried, dashing the glass to the floor; "I have expressed myself! You cannot mistake my meaning, sir!"
Thornton whipped out a handkerchief and wiped the liquid from his eyes. Then he dropped the handkerchief, and caught up a wine-bottle, with which weapon he leaped at Jack.
Parker caught Thornton's uplifted arm just in time to keep him from trying to break the bottle over Diamond's head.
"Do you want to kill him?" exclaimed Puss, excitedly.
"Yes," snarled Thornton, "I will kill him!"
"Pray do not interfere with the fellow, Mr. Parker," urged Jack, his voice shaking with passion. "I will take care of myself."
"You'd better get out of here!" came fiercely from Parker. "You have no business here!"
"I have business in any place where I am lied about and insulted, sir! Let him alone, and I will agree to give him all the fight he desires!"
Now, for the first time, Fred Flemming stepped forward. He was a big fellow, and was known to be a fierce fighter, with the inclinations of a bully.
"I think we'll give you a thumping before we let you go, Diamond, just to teach you a lesson," he said, in a most insolent manner. "I've wanted to get at you or your friend Merriwell for some time."
"You—you get at Merriwell!" flung back Jack. "Why, he'd do you up with his right hand tied behind him!"
"You think so because he did you. Well, I am going to break your face, and then Merriwell may pick it up, if he dares."
He threw off his coat in a moment, and then came at Jack, crying to the others:
"Close the door! Don't let anybody in here till I have fixed this sneak as I will fix Merriwell when I get at him! Close the door!"
Willis Paulding started to obey, but before he could swing the door shut it was flung open with such violence that Willis was sent tumbling to the floor.
Into the room leaped Frank Merriwell, and he placed himself between Diamond and his would-be assailant.
"Wait a moment, Flemming," he said, with the utmost self-possession. "It is not necessary for you to waste your energies on Mr. Diamond."
It was a most dramatic tableau, as every lad stood motionless and staring for some seconds.
There was a strong contrast between Diamond and Merriwell.
Jack was literally quivering with passion, while Frank actually smiled serenely into Flemming's face, as if he thoroughly enjoyed the situation.
But those who knew Merriwell best said that in times of trouble he was the most dangerous when he smiled.
"So you are around!" Flemming finally growled. "How did you happen in here? Were you playing the eavesdropper also?"
"I happened to be passing the saloon, and I thought I saw my friend Diamond come in here," explained Frank, calmly. "I wondered what could bring him into such a place, and so I entered likewise. They said he had come back here. I came also. That is how I happened to arrive at precisely the right moment."
"You'll find it was precisely the wrong moment!" cried Flemming. "Close and fasten the door, boys! We'll jump on these two cads, and do them up now and at once! Come on!"
"I don't know but it will be a good time to settle a few old scores with them," said Emery, becoming aroused. "It will do them good to show them they can be licked!"
"That goes!" shouted Puss Parker.
"Six to two—three to one!" laughed Frank. "Oh, well, that's not so bad. Come on, my brave fellows! We'll do our best to make it interesting, eh, Jack?"
"Oh, all I want is a chance at Thornton!" panted the Virginian.
Willis Paulding was quivering with excitement. He thought he saw his opportunity, and he lost no time in improving it. He had hated Merriwell from the first, but never had he dared do anything to injure Frank. Now, grasping his heavy cane, he slipped forward and came up behind Merriwell.
Swish—crack!
The cane cut through the air and fell on Merriwell's head, dropping the lad in a senseless heap to the floor.
It was a cowardly blow, but it put Merriwell out of the fight in a twinkling, for he was stunned.
"So this is the way you fight!" cried Diamond, wheeling about and leaping at Willis, who gave a scream and vainly tried to escape.
Jack caught the fellow, grasped him by the ears, and flung him back against the wall. Thump! thump! thump!—Jack banged the head of the helpless wretch against the wall till it seemed that Paulding's skull would crack.
Willis tried to scream for help, but with the very first thump his tongue was caught between his teeth, and he nearly bit it in two. Blood gushed from his mouth, and he sunk in a limp heap to the floor as Jack released him.
Diamond turned quickly, but not in time to escape Flemming, whose heavy fist caught the Virginian behind the ear.
Down Jack went. As he tried to get up Flemming kicked him over.
The sound of the fight had aroused those in the front of the saloon, and several came hurrying in.
The door had not been closed, as Flemming had directed, and the curious ones gained easy admission to the room.
Among the foremost was Plug Kirby, a tough of the town, whom Frank had once whipped. He saw Frank stretched on the floor, and he hoarsely demanded:
"Who