|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 20
"Make it two ropes, then!" jeered another voice.
"Reade," continued Jim Duff, "we all try to be decent men here, and the
friends with me are a good and sensible lot of men. You have carried
matters just a little too far. Think over what you've heard and noticed
here, and then tell me again about your plans, for quitting Paloma."
As he spoke Jim made a gesture that kept some of the men near him from
rushing forward. Tom did not appear to notice the demonstration at all.
Certainly he did not flinch.
"I haven't any such plans," Tom laughed. "I'm hungry and I'm going
inside to eat."
With that, he turned his back on the crowd, with Harry behind him, both
making for the steps of the hotel. Superintendent Hawkins stepped in
after the boys.
"Gentlemen, I can't do anything more," spoke up Jim Duff, with an air of
resignation.
"But we can!" roared some of the roughs in the crowd. A dozen of them
surged forward. The first of them swung a lariat to slip it over Tom
Reade's neck.
Bump! Hawkins's sledge-hammer right hand shot out, landing on that
fellow's face. With a moan the fellow collapsed on the sidewalk, his
jaw broken.
Then Tom and Harry wheeled like a flash, eyeing the idlers and roughs
sternly.
"Don't go any further," proposed Tom, his eyes growing steely, "unless
you mean it."
Something in the attitude of the trio of athletic figures standing ready
before them disquieted the crowd of roughs. There were armed men in
that crowd, but all felt that they had been put in the wrong, so far,
and none of them dared draw the first weapon or fire the first shot.
"Take that injured man to a surgeon and have his jaw set," spoke Tom
quietly. "Let the surgeon send me the bill. I'm sorry for the fellow,
for I'm indirectly the cause of his being hurt. The main cause of his
misfortune was due to his being in bad company."
"Come out of that hotel," ordered Jim Duff, his eyes blazing as he
stepped forward, though with Hawkins's cold, hard eyes on him the
gambler was careful to keep his hands at his sides. "You can't get
anything to eat in there!"
"Do you own the hotel?" Tom inquired coolly.
"No; but you can't eat there."
"Join us at lunch, Mr. Hawkins!" Tom invited, turning away from the
gambler. The superintendent nodded, for he had no intention of leaving
the young engineers for the present.
All three entered the hotel, while the small mob outside hooted and
jeered. Tom led the way to a table in the dining room, signing to one of
the waiters.
Hardly had the waiter reached them when Jim Duff and the proprietor of
the Mansion House came in. Jim, after saying a few words in a low tone,
halted, while the proprietor came forward.
"Good morning, Mr. Ashby," nodded Tom, when he saw the proprietor headed
their way. The latter looked rather embarrassed, but he moved a hand to
signal the waiter to withdraw.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Reade, but I can't have you any longer at this hotel,"
began Ashby.
"Any particular reason?" Tom inquired, looking the man straight in the
eye.
"Yes; some of my other guests object to your presence here."
"Meaning Jim Duff?" questioned Reade coolly.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|