\"Yes，gentlemen，\"saidHooker，examininghisglassdramatically，\"whenaman’sbeencoopedupinaRebelprison，withadeathlinebeforehimthathe’sobligedtocrosseverytimehewantsasquaredrink，itseemssortoflikeadreamofhisboyhoodtobestandin’
herecomf’blebeforehisliquor，alongsideo’whitemenoncemore。
Andwhenheknowshe’sbinputtoallthattroublejesttosavethereputationofanotherman，andthesecretsofafewhighandmightyones，it’salmostenoughtomakehisliquorgoaginhim。\"Hestoppedtheatrically，seemedtochokeemotionallyoverhisbrandysquash，butwithapauseofdramaticdeterminationfinallydasheditdown。\"No，gentlemen，\"hecontinuedgloomily，\"Idon’tsaywhatI’mbackinWashingtonFOR——Idon’tsaywhatI’vebeensayin’tomyselfwhenI’vebinpickingtheweevilsoutermybiscuitsinLibbyPrison——butefyoudon’tseesomeprettybigmenintheWarDepartmentobligedtoclimbdowninthenextfewdays，mynameain’tJimHooker，ofHooker，Meacham&Co。，ArmyBeefContractors，andthemanwhosavedthefightatGrayOaks！\"
Thesmileofsatisfactionthatwentaroundhisaudience——anaudiencequicktoseizetheweaknessofanyperformance——mighthavestartledavanitylessobliviousthanHooker’s；butitonlyarousedBrant’sindignationandpity，andmadehispositionstillmoreintolerable。
ButHooker，scornfullyexpectoratingathinstreamoftobaccojuiceagainstthespittoon，remainedforaninstantgloomilysilent。