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Their jeers had an unexpected effect。 Jeff's fears were blotted out by
his desperate need。 Some spark of the fighting edge； inherited from his
father； was fanned to a flame in the heart of the bruised little warrior。 Like
a tiger cat he leaped for Ned's throat； twisted his slim legs round the sturdy
ones of his enemy； and went down with him in a heap。
Jeff landed on the bottom； but like an eel he squirmed to the top before
the other had time to get set。 The champion's patrician head was thumped
down into the mud and a knobby little fist played a painful tattoo on his
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THE VISION SPLENDID
mouth and cheek。
〃Take him off！ Take him off！〃 Merrill shrieked after he had tried in
vain to roll away the incubus clamped like a vise to his body。
His henchmen ran forward to obey。 An unexpected intervention
stopped them。 A one…armed little man who had drifted down the street in
time to see part of the fracas pushed forward。
〃I reckon not just yet。 Goliath's had a turn。 Now David gets his。〃
〃Lemme up；〃 sobbed Goliath furiously。
〃Say you're whopped。〃 Jeff's fist emphasized the suggestion。
〃Doggone you！〃
This kind of one…sided warfare did not suit Jeff。 He made as if to get
up； but his backer stopped him。
〃Hold on； son。 You're not through yet。 When you do a job do it
thorough。〃 To the former champion he spoke。 〃Had plenty yet？〃
〃II'll have him skinned；〃 came from the tearful champion with a
burst of profanity。
〃That ain't the point。 Have you had enough so you'll be good？ Or do
you need some more？〃
〃I'm goin' to tell Webber。〃
〃Needs just a leetle more； son；〃 the one…armed man told Jeff； dragging
at his goatee。
But young Farnum had made up his mind。 With a little twist of his
body he got to his feet。
Merrill rose； tearful and sullen。 〃II'll fix you for this；〃 he gulped； and
went sobbing toward the schoolhouse。
〃Better duck；〃 James whispered to his cousin。
Jeff shook his head。
The little man looked at the boy sharply。 The eyes under his shaggy
brows were like gimlets。
〃Come up to the school with me。 I'll see your teacher； son。〃
Jeff walked beside him。 He knew by the sound of the voice that his
rescuer was a Southerner and his heart warmed to him。 He wanted greatly
to ask a question。 Presently it plumped out。
〃Was it in the war； sir？〃
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〃I reckon I don't catch your meaning。〃
〃That you lost your arm？〃 The boy added quickly； 〃My father was a
soldier under General Early。〃
The steel…gray eyes shot at him again。 〃I was under Early myself。〃
〃My father was a captainCaptain Farnum；〃 the young warrior
announced proudly。
〃Not Phil Farnum！〃
〃Yes； sir。 Did you know him？〃 Jeff trembled with eagerness。 His dead
soldier…father was the idol of his heart。
〃Did I？〃 He swung Jeff round and looked at him。 〃You're like him； in a
way； and； by Gad！ you fight like him。 What's your name？〃
〃Jefferson Davis Farnum。〃
〃Shake hands； Jefferson Davis Farnum； you dashed little rebel。 My
name is Lucius Chunn。 I was a lieutenant in your father's company before
I was promoted to one of my own。〃
Jeff forgot his troubles instantly。 〃I wish I'd been alive to go with
father to the war；〃 he cried。
Captain Chunn was delighted。 〃You doggoned little rebel！〃
〃I didn't know we used that word in the South' sir。〃
Chunn tugged at his goatee and laughed。 〃We're not in the South；
David。〃
The former Confederate asked questions to piece out his patchwork
information。 He knew that Philip Farnum had come out of the war with a
constitution weakened by the hardships of the service。 Rumors had drifted
to him that the taste for liquor acquired in camp as an antidote for sickness
had grown upon his comrade and finally overcome him。 From Jeff he
learned that after his father's death the widow had sold her mortgaged
place and moved to the Pacific Coast。 She had invested the few hundreds
left her in some river…bottom lots at Verden and had later discovered that
an unscrupulous real estate dealer had unloaded upon her worthless
property。 The patched and threadbare clothes of the boy told him that from
a worldly point of view the affairs of the Farnums were at ebb tide。
〃Did 。 。 。 did you know father very well？〃 Jeff asked tremulously。
Chunn looked down at the thin dark face of the boy walking beside
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him and was moved to lay a hand on his shoulder。 He understood the ache
in that little heart to hear about the father who was a hero to him。 Jeff was
of no importance in the alien world about him。 The Captain guessed from
the little scene he had witnessed that the lad trod a friendless； stormy path。
He divined； too； that the hungry soul was fed from within by dreams and
memories。
So Lucius Chunn talked。 He told about the slender； soldierly officer in
gray who had given himself so freely to serve his men； of the time he had
caught pneumonia by lending his blanket to a sick boy； of the day he had
led the charge at Battle Creek and received the wound which pained him
so greatly to the hour of his death。 And Jeff drank his words in like a
charmed thing。 He visualized it all； the bitter nights in camp； the long wet
marches； the trumpet call to battle。 It was this last that his imagination
seized upon most eagerly。 He saw the silent massing of troops； the stealthy
advance through the woods； and he heard the blood…curdling rebel yell as
the line swept forward from cover like a tidal wave； with his father at its
head。
Captain Chunn was puzzled at the coldness with which Mr。 Webber
listened to his explanation of what had taken place。 The school principal
fell back doggedly upon one fact。 It would not have happened if Jeff had
not been playing truant。 Therefore he was to blame for what had occurred。
Nothing would be done； of course； without a thorough investigation。
The Captain was not satisfied； but he did not quite see what more he
could do。
〃The boy is a son of an old comrade of mine。 We were in the war
toget