John Henry Smith: A humorous romance of outdoor lifeAdams, Frederick Upham
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John Henry Smith: A humorous romance of outdoor life
Adams, Frederick Upham
Humorous stories; Outdoor life -- Fiction
"There is my resignation from the Woodvale Club," he said, his voice
husky, and sullen anger in his dark eyes. LaHume is a handsome fellow,
but there is something amiss with him. Possibly his ego is
over-developed.
"I will present it to the board," I said, preferring to avoid discussion
with him while in his then condition.
"I don't care a blank whether they accept it or not," he declared with a
rising voice. "From this day I shall never step foot in Woodvale."
"Better think it over later on," I said.
"If you think I care to have anything further to do with a club which
shelters and encourages low adventurers like this fellow Wallace, you do
not know Percy LaHume," he declared, working himself into a fury. "And
you and Carter are to blame for it," he concluded.
"I shall refuse to discuss that with you at this time," I calmly replied
and abruptly left him.
A few minutes later I saw him striding down the path on the way to the
railway station. As luck would have it, Wallace and Miss Lawrence had
just left the eighteenth green, and stood chatting near the path which
leads to the station. If they saw the approaching LaHume they paid no
attention to him. At this moment Carter and Miss Harding joined me and
the latter asked what I found so diverting.
"I hope that LaHume will have the sense not to pick a quarrel with
Wallace," I said, pointing in his direction. "He is excited and--and
nervous."
"Why don't you say it--intoxicated," drawled Carter.
LaHume had reached the professional and his pupil. We saw Wallace lift
his cap as LaHume came within a few yards of them. The latter stopped,
and though the trio was quite a distance away, we could plainly hear
LaHume's voice, but could not make out the words. Wallace made a
deprecatory gesture and Miss Lawrence drew herself up and faced LaHume
in an attitude of scorn.
I noted that LaHume was gesticulating with his left hand, and that his
right arm was lowered and to his back. He kept edging closer to Wallace.
Of a sudden LaHume's right hand swung out and he made a vicious lunge at
Wallace. I saw the latter throw up his guard, but it was too far away to
tell if the blow had landed. There was a struggle for a second or two,
then Wallace pushed him clear, and like lightning I saw his left hand
swing across to LaHume's stomach. LaHume was shot back several yards and
fell heavily, his feet in the path and his head and shoulders on the
turf.
It all happened so quickly that we stood there, spellbound. We saw Miss
Lawrence rush forward and half fall into Wallace's arms. We saw him
stagger to a lawn settee, she still clinging to him and screaming.
LaHume lay as if dead.
These latter details I noticed as Carter and I were running toward them.
Wallace was on his feet before we reached him. He was attempting to
calm Miss Lawrence who was moaning, "He has killed him; he has killed
him!" I knew she feared for Wallace, but I was much more apprehensive as
to the fate of LaHume.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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