hern 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 second