Full Text Archive

Full Text Archive
https://www.fulltextarchive.com
toward the old English grill-room, where Hibbs happened to be, consuming a brandy-and-soda
with a friend of about his own age. Callum entered and called him.
"Oh, Hibbs!" he said.
Hibbs, hearing his voice and seeing him in the door, arose and came over. He was an
interesting youth of the collegiate type, educated at Princeton. He had heard the rumor
concerning Aileen from various sources--other members of the club, for one--and had ventured
to repeat it in Pethick's presence.
"What's that you were just saying about my sister?" asked Callum, grimly, looking Hibbs in the
eye.
"Why--I--" hesitated Hibbs, who sensed trouble and was eager to avoid it. He was not
exceptionally brave and looked it. His hair was straw-colored, his eyes blue, and his cheeks
pink. "Why-- nothing in particular. Who said I was talking about her?" He looked at Pethick,
whom he knew to be the tale-bearer, and the latter exclaimed, excitedly:
"Now don't you try to deny it, Hibbs. You know I heard you?"
"Well, what did I say?" asked Hibbs, defiantly.
"Well, what did you say?" interrupted Callum, grimly, transferring the conversation to himself.
"That's just what I want to know."
"Why," stammered Hibbs, nervously, "I don't think I've said anything that anybody else hasn't
said. I just repeated that some one said that your sister had been very friendly with Mr.
Cowperwood. I didn't say any more than I have heard other people say around here."
"Oh, you didn't, did you?" exclaimed Callum, withdrawing his hand from his pocket and slapping
Hibbs in the face. He repeated the blow with his left hand, fiercely. "Perhaps that'll teach you to
keep my sister's name out of your mouth, you pup!"
Hibbs's arms flew up. He was not without pugilistic training, and he struck back vigorously,
striking Callum once in the chest and once in the neck. In an instant the two rooms of this suite
were in an uproar. Tables and chairs were overturned by the energy of men attempting to get to
the scene of action. The two combatants were quickly separated; sides were taken by the
friends of each, excited explanations attempted and defied. Callum was examining the knuckles
of his left hand, which were cut from the blow he had delivered. He maintained a gentlemanly
calm. Hibbs, very much flustered and excited, insisted that he had been most unreasonably
used. The idea of attacking him here. And, anyhow, as he maintained now, Pethick had been
both eavesdropping and lying about him. Incidentally, the latter was protesting to others that he
had done the only thing which an honorable friend could do. It was a nine days' wonder in the
club, and was only kept out of the newspapers by the most strenuous efforts on the part of the
friends of both parties. Callum was so outraged on discovering that there was some foundation
for the rumor at the club in a general rumor which prevailed that he tendered his resignation,
and never went there again.
"I wish to heaven you hadn't struck that fellow," counseled Owen, when the incident was related
297 / 312

---