The Claim Jumpers: A Romance | Page 2

has."
"Such as?"
"Well, for one thing, he wants to get away. He doesn't seem quite
content with his job of idle aristocrat. I believe he's been pestering the
old man to send him West. Old man doesn't approve."
"'That the fine bloom of culture will become rubbed off in the contact
with rude, rough men, seems to me inevitable,'" mimicked Bert in
pedantic tones, "'unless a firm sense of personal dignity and an equally
firm sense of our obligations to more refined though absent friends
hedges us about with adequate safeguards.'"
The four laughed. "That's his style, sure enough," Jim agreed.
"What does he want to do West?" asked Hench.

"He doesn't know. Write a book, I believe, or something of that sort.
But he _isn't_ an ass. He has a lot of good stuff in him, only it will
never get a chance, fixed the way he is now."
A silence fell, which was broken at last by Bert.
"Come, Jeems," he suggested; "here we've taken up Hench's valuable
idea, but are no farther with it."
"True," said Jeems.
He rolled over on his hands and knees. Bert took up a similar position
by his side.
"Go!" shouted Hench from the window ledge.
At the word, the two on the mattress turned and grappled each other
fiercely, half rising to their feet in the strenuousness of endeavour.
Jeems tried frantically for a half-Nelson. While preventing it the wily
Bert awaited his chance for a hammer-lock. In the moment of
indecision as to which would succeed in his charitable design, a knock
on the door put an end to hostilities. The gladiators sat upright and
panted.
A young man stepped bashfully into the room and closed the door
behind him.
The newcomer was a clean-cut young fellow, of perhaps twenty-two
years of age, with regular features, brown eyes, straight hair, and
sensitive lips. He was exceedingly well-dressed. A moment's pause
followed his appearance. Then:
"Why, it's our old friend, the kid!" cried Jeems.
"Don't let me interrupt," begged the youth diffidently.
"No interruption. End of round one," panted Jeems. "Glad you came.
Bertie, here, was twisting my delicate clavicle most cruelly. Know
Hench and Beck there?"

De Laney bowed to the young men in the window, who removed their
pipes from their mouths and grinned amiably.
"This, gentlemen," explained Jeems, without changing his position, "is
Mr. Bennie de Laney on both sides. It is extremely fortunate for Mr. de
Laney that he is a de Laney on both sides, for otherwise he would be
lop-sided."
"You will find a seat, Mr. de Laney, in the adjoining bedroom," said the
first, with great politeness; "and if you don't care to go in there, you
will stand yourself in the corner by that easel until the conclusion of
this little discussion between Jeems and myself.--Jeems, will you
kindly state the merits of the discussion to the gentleman? I'm out of
breath."
Jeems kindly would.
"Bert and I have, for the last few weeks, been obeying the parting
commands of our dear mother. 'Boys,' said she, with tears in her eyes,
'Boys, always take care of one another.' So each evening I have tried to
tuck Bertie in his little bed, and Bertie, with equal enthusiasm, has
attempted to tuck me in. It has been hard on pyjamas, bed springs, and
the temper of the Lady with the Piano who resides in the apartments
immediately beneath; so, at the wise suggestion of our friends in the
windows"--he waved a graceful hand toward them, and they gravely
bowed acknowledgment--"we are now engaged in deciding the matter
Græco-Roman. The winner 'tucks.' Come on, Bertie."
The two again took position side by side, on their hands and knees,
while Mr. Hench explained to de Laney that this method of beginning
the bout was necessary, because the limited area of the mat precluded
flying falls. At a signal from Mr. Beck, they turned and grappled,
Jeems, by the grace of Providence, on top. In the course of the combat
it often happened that the two mattresses would slide apart. The
contestants, suspending their struggles, would then try to kick them
together again without releasing the advantage of their holds. The noise
was beautiful. To de Laney, strong in maternal admonitions as to
proper deportment, it was all new and stirring, and quite without

precedent. He applauded excitedly, and made as much racket as the
rest.
A sudden and vigorous knock for the second time put an end to
hostilities. The wrestlers again sat bolt upright on the mattresses, and
listened.
"Gentlemen," cried an irritated German voice, "there is a lady
schleeping on the next floor!"
"Karl, Karl!" called one of the irrepressibles, "can I never teach you to
be accurate! No lady could possibly be sleeping anywhere in the