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: