Howard stepped forth from his place of concealment. His eyes blazed like coals of fire in his gray face.
“Benton!” came the disturbed exclamation.
“ ’Sall right, boys.” He smiled feebly. “You didn’t know I was there.”
“Oh—I’m sorry, Benton,” Frank Crimmins assured him earnestly as he stepped forward. “I feel like a silly gossiping woman. Please don’t pay any attention to what I’ve said.”
“On the contrary, I think you’ve done me a service. You see, I hadn’t any idea that Druid was a married man.”
“Didn’t you know that he has been rather friendly with your sister?”
“The news of his friendship for my sister has come to me only to-night through three different sources. Now, I am going to get it directly from his own lips,” he announced ominously.
Crimmins endeavored to restrain him: “Wait a minute, Benton, don’t make a fool of yourself! You’re not in a condition to see anyone right now—wait until to-morrow.”
“I’m going now.” He brushed aside the friendly detaining hand and demanded his things from the coat-boy. “I’ll show him that he can’t juggle with my sister’s reputation and get away with it.”
“The hot-headed young idiot,” Crimmins said, as Howard rushed from the club. “I suppose he’ll go up to Druid’s and attempt to mop up the place with him.”