And when he knows he's bin
put to all that trouble jest to save the reputation of another man, and
the secrets of a few high and mighty ones, it's almost enough to make
his liquor go agin him." He stopped theatrically, seemed to choke
emotionally over his brandy squash, but with a pause of dramatic
determination finally dashed it down. "No, gentlemen," he continued
gloomily, "I don't say what I'm back in Washington FOR--I don't say what
I've been sayin' to myself when I've bin picking the weevils outer my
biscuits in Libby Prison--but ef you don't see some pretty big men in
the War Department obliged to climb down in the next few days, my name
ain't Jim Hooker, of Hooker, Meacham & Co., Army Beef Contractors, and
the man who saved the fight at Gray Oaks!"
The smile of satisfaction that went around his audience--an audience
quick to seize the weakness of any performance--might have startled
a vanity less oblivious than Hooker's; but it only aroused Brant's
indignation and pity, and made his position still more intolerable. But
Hooker, scornfully expectorating a thin stream of tobacco juice against
the spittoon, remained for an instant gloomily silent.
"Tell us about the fight again," said a smiling auditor.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194