CHAPTER VII--SOMETHING WRONG
Dick knew Mrs. Arlington had arrived in Fardale, and after her arrivalhe waited in daily expectancy of hearing something from June. He learnedthat the injury to Chester Arlington was so serious that he might beconfined to his bed for two or three weeks. And he also found out thatHal Darrell visited the hotel daily.
Ostensibly Hal went to see Chester, but Dick felt that the real reasonof his going was to see June. And Dick was startled to feel a sensationof keen jealousy in his heart. He tried bravely to put it aside, tellinghimself that June was his friend and nothing more; but it was obstinateand declined to be crushed in such a manner, not a little to hisannoyance.
On Saturday morning Dick received a brief note from June, and it fairlystaggered him. This was what she said:
"_Mr. Richard Merriwell_: Kindly return my locket at once by the messenger who brings you this. I insist on it, and you will do so if you are a gentleman. --_June Arlington_."
A second time had this happened. Once before June had sent for herlocket and Dick had returned it as requested. Then, when he sought tocall for an explanation, he was snubbed at the door. He puzzled overthis second note, being astonished by it. For had not June urged him topromise not to give up the locket on any condition?
"Is she so changeable?" he muttered, in great disappointment. "I couldnot have thought it of her! She doesn't seem that way."
He could not express his feeling of disappointment at June. She hadseemed like an unusually sensible girl, who would not whiffle round withevery shifting wind.
He understood that, without doubt, strong pressure had been brought tobear on June by her mother and brother. She had been commanded to sendagain for her locket. Chester Arlington was determined that Dick shouldnot keep it, and he would rejoice if it were sent back to his sister.
But had June been influenced so that she really wished the locketreturned? Rather had she not been compelled to write the request whileshe did not wish Dick to comply with it?
He started at this thought, and, of a sudden, he found a way to excuseJune. She could not refuse to obey the command of her mother, and shehad written for the locket because Mrs. Arlington commanded it. That wasthe explanation. The messenger was waiting outside the door. Dickturned, walked to the door, and said:
"There is no answer."
"But the lady what give me the note said there would be one," declaredthe boy. "She said I was to bring back somethin' you'd give me."
"Did she?"
"Yep. An' said I was to be careful not to lose it."
"What sort of a lady gave you this note?"
"Oh, she was pritty swell, you bet! She wore good togs, but she had grayhair, and she looked me over through a glass with a handle what she heldup to her eye, and she says, says she, 'Boy, are you honest?' and Isays, 'I am, though I know I'll never grow up to be a great politicianor a millionaire if I stay so.' She didn't seem to like that much, butshe finally give me the paper what I brought to you, sayin' as how I wasto bring back the thing what you would give me."
"Well, there is nothing for you to take back," said Dick. "But here is aquarter for you. Just say to the lady that the article is so preciousthat I will bring it in person, as I dare not trust it out of my hands."
"All right. Thankee," said the boy, and he hurried away.
A feeling of satisfaction had come to Dick.
"I was right," he exclaimed, with a short laugh. "It is the work ofJune's mother. But how can I get out of giving up the locket and thepicture? June told me to keep it, but if her mother demands it of meI'll be placed in an awkward position."
He was soon given other things to think of, however. The Franklin teamarrived in town before noon, and Buckhart, who was at the station to seethem, came hustling back to the academy and sought Dick, whom he foundin the gym.
"There's no mistake about it," said the Westerner excitedly. "One oftheir players is Plover, the chap who was barred from the Exeter teambecause he was a professional. Why, he's nineteen years old, and he'splayed the game for three or four years. He got into some kind of a messat Exeter and left school to avoid a disgrace. He's one of the'ringers.'"
"How do you know this?" asked Dick. "You do not know Plover personally,do you?"
"No, but there was a chap at the station who knew him and spoke to him."
"Well?"
"Plover didn't seem to like it much. He pretended not to know the fellowwho spoke to him."
"Who was the fellow?"
"Clerk in Peabody's store, a fellow who hasn't been here very long."
"I'll have to see him at once," said Dick.
"I had a talk with him, you bet your boots!"
"Did you?"
"Sure thing, pardner. Said he knew Plover all right, and that the fellowcouldn't fool him. Said Plover was a chap who played baseball summersfor money, raced for money, had been pulled up for some sort ofcrookedness in a running-race, had coached football-teams for money; inshort, he made his living by just such things."
"Well, he is a fine fellow for Franklin to run up against us!" exclaimedDick. "Come, Brad, we'll look up the manager of that team withoutdelay."
But the manager of the visiting team had not come to Fardale with hisplayers, as they learned on hurrying to the hotel and making inquiries.
"He didn't dare come!" muttered Buckhart in Dick's ears. "He was afraidyou'd get after him before the game. That's why the onery galoot stayedaway."
Dick's face wore a grim expression as he called for Captain Hickman.Hickman and two other Franklin fellows were found in a room. The captainof the team rose and held out his hand to Dick, crying:
"How are you, Merriwell, old man! Glad to see you again! Of course,we'll have to trounce you this afternoon, but that is no reason why weshouldn't be friends before the game--and afterward."
"No, that is no reason," admitted Dick. "As for trouncing us, thatremains to be seen; but I am sure you ought to do it with the kind ofteam you have brought!"
"Oh, yes! we've got a corker this year," laughed Hickman.
"But aren't you out of your class a bit?" asked Dick, while Brad stoodby the door, grimly waiting the clash of words he expected would comeand eying the two chaps with Hickman, to have their measure in casethere was an encounter.
"Do you fancy your team so very weak?" asked Hickman jokingly. "Why, youseem to be doing very well."
"We are strong enough for a school team made up of amateurs, but we maynot be able to cope with professionals."
"And 'ringers,'" put in Brad.
Hickman pretended to be surprised and astonished.
"Professionals?" he exclaimed. "Ringers? Why, what do you mean? It can'tbe that you accuse us of having such men on our team?"
"I have information that leads me to believe you have," said Dickgrimly.
"It's not true!" retorted the captain of the Franklin team hotly.
"It's a lie!" said a yellow-haired chap, rising behind Hickman, andstepping forward.
"That's exactly what it is!" agreed the third fellow, as he also roseand joined the others.
"Here's where we get into a scrimmage!" thought Buckhart, with a glow ofgenuine satisfaction. "Here is where we wipe the floor with three younggents from Franklin!"
But Dick was not there to get into a row.
"Such information reached me a few days ago," said Dick, "and I wrote atonce to Mr. Rankin, your manager."
"Well, you heard from him, didn't you?"
"Yes; he answered that the report was untrue."
"Well, that should have satisfied you," said Hickman. "What more do youwant?"
"To-day," said Dick calmly, "I have been told that on your team there isa regular professional by the name of Plover."
"Plover?"
"Yes."
"There is no man by that name on the team," said Hickman. "So you seethat you have been led astray in this matter."
"Of course it is possible," admitted Dick, "But we have not forgottenlast year, Mr. Hic
kman."
"Last year?" said Hickman uneasily. "What do you mean by that?"
"You should remember very well."
"Why not----"
"Yes, your little trick you played on us. I believe a fellow by the nameof Jabez Lynch played with you, and he was a Fardale man at the time. Hewore a nose-guard and head-harness that so disguised him he was notrecognized; but he did a piece of dirty work that exposed him before thegame was over. You remember, Captain Hickman."
Hickman forced a short laugh.
"That was a joke, Merriwell."
"A joke!" exclaimed Dick, his eyes flashing. "Is that what you call it?It was no joke, Mr. Hickman, and you know very well that it came verynear ending all athletic relations between our teams and our schools."
"If that is what he considers as a joke," put in Brad; "mebbe he allowsit's a joke to spring a lot of 'ringers' on us!"
"Who are you?" savagely asked the captain of the visiting team, glaringat Brad. "What right have you to dip into this matter?"
"Who am I? Well, I'm Brad Buckhart, the unbranded maverick of the RioPecos! I'm playing with Fardale, and I allow that I can dip in some. Ifany of you gents think not, I'm willing to argue it with you any old wayyou say. You hear me chirp!"
"Have you come to raise a fuss, Mr. Merriwell?" cried Hickman.
"I have come to warn you," said Dick, with unabated grimness.
"Warn us--of what?"
"That you are making a grave mistake."
"Are you going to squeal? Are you going to back out?"
"We shall play you this afternoon if your team is made up entirely ofprofessionals."
"Then what----"
"I wish to notify you, Mr. Hickman, that a thorough investigation willbe made. If we learn that you have professionals on your team, Fardalewill sever relations with you. There will be no further contests betweenus."
Hickman snapped his fingers.
"Do as you like," he said. "We'll have the pleasure of wiping you up inthe last encounter, anyway."
"Will you?" cried Dick. "Not much! Fardale will defeat you to-day, forall of tricks and crookedness!"
"Whoop-ee!" exploded Buckhart. "You bet your boots she will!"
Then both boys turned on their heels and left the room.
Dick and Brad were descending the stairs to leave the hotel whensomething struck Dick's shoulder with a little tinkle and fell on thesteps before him.
Dick picked it up, and glanced upward. He fancied he saw a facedisappear above, and there was a rustling sound that died away almostimmediately. In his hand Dick held a bit of paper that was twisted aboutan old-fashioned copper coin. He untwisted the paper and saw there wassome writing upon it.
"I shall try to be at the game. See me a moment if possible. Have something to say to you. --_June_."
"What is it, pard?" asked Brad.
"Nothing much," smiled Dick, folding the paper and carefully putting itin his pocket, along with the coin.
The smile left his face, as at the very door, when he was passing out,he encountered Mrs. Arlington, who had just alighted from a carriage andwas coming in. She saw him, and a haughty look of anger and accusationsettled on her cold face.
"So you decided to come!" she said freezingly. "It is well that you did.I have consulted a lawyer, and I have about concluded to have youarrested."
"To have me arrested?" said Dick, in surprise.
"Exactly."
"What for?"
"Theft!"
Dick's face flamed crimson, while a gurgle of incredulity andastonishment came from Brad's throat.
"Theft, madam?" said Dick warmly. "Such a thing is ridiculous!"
"Outrageous!" came from Brad.
"I sent for a piece of property belonging to my daughter and youdeclined to return it," said the woman, with a crushing air ofsuperiority.
"So it was you who sent for it?" came quickly from Dick. "I am glad toknow that."
"My daughter wrote the note, which I sent by a messenger. Your refusalto return the locket makes you a thief. But I presume you have come toyour senses and decided to give it up, in which case I shall not proceedagainst you."
Dick was boiling with anger, and he longed to tell the woman just whathe thought; but he could not forget that she was June's mother, whichheld him in check.
"I did not call to return the locket, madam," he said. "I had anothermatter that brought me here."
"Indeed?" said the woman, annoyed and surprised. "You will find it bestto attend to this matter without delay if you wish to escape theunpleasantness of being arrested. To a boy of your callous nature I donot suppose arrest would seem like a disgrace, but you may fearimprisonment."
Dick could not find words to retort to this insult, but he knew he couldnot restrain his outraged feelings much longer, for which reason hesought to pass the woman at once and get away from her. But Mrs.Arlington had not played all her cards. She was holding one in reserve.
"I think you were somehow concerned in stopping a horse that had becomefrightened in a neighboring town, and I also think my daughter was inthe carriage," she said, in the same haughty, freezing manner. "Much tomy regret, I have learned that my son failed to pay you for your act, ashe promised to do; but you know he was injured by falling from thecarriage, which explains his failure. I have been told that he said hewould give you a hundred dollars to stop the horse. I always take painsto have my son keep his word, and I shall do so in this case. When youcall with the locket you shall have the hundred dollars, just as hepromised."
Dick knew she felt sure the promise of that money would cause him tohasten to bring the locket, and it but added to his outraged sense offairness. Surely she was the most overbearing, haughty, cold-bloodedwoman he had ever met! But she was June's mother!
"Madam," he said, "if you imagine for a moment that I stopped that horsebecause a hundred dollars was offered to any one who would do so, youhave made a great mistake. I did so because your daughter was in peril.Nothing could induce me to accept money from your son, from you, or fromany one on earth for such an act!"
He managed to pass her, but Buckhart paused to say:
"Well, I should opine not! Why, confound it! I told you once that thisyere pard of mine has money enough to buy up your old husband'srailroads and run 'em! Money! Why, when he comes of age he'll have it toburn in an open grate instead of coal! Money! Don't insult him by----"
"Brad!" said Dick sharply; "that will do! Come!"
"All right," said Buckhart, regretfully following young Merriwell. "ButI wasn't half done with her. I was just getting round to say over myopinion of her, and I reckon I'd sure rumpled her fur some."
"Never mind," said Dick. "We've got other things to think of besidesthat woman."
"Don't you worry none whatever about arrest," said the Texan. "She'llnot be that big a fool."
"I hope not," said Dick.
As Dick said, he had other things to occupy his mind. He was bound towin the game that afternoon and teach Franklin a lesson.
Midday had passed and Dick was entering the gymnasium to prepare for thegame when a boy on a bicycle hailed him. He stopped, frowning a littleas the boy came up swiftly, for he half-fancied it was some one sent byMrs. Arlington. As the lad drew near, however, Dick suddenly recognizedhim. It was Sammy--Sammy of Hudsonville, on a brand-new wheel! Sammy waslaughing as he jumped off.
"I wanted you to see the wheel Mr. Arlington sent me in place of the oldone," he said. "I've ridden over here on it to thank Miss Arlington andto see the football-game. I'm going to root for you in the game. Say,ain't this wheel a peach?"
"It is very handsome," said Dick. "It seems to be quite as good as yourother one."
"Oh, it's better! A machinist over in our town says it's the best heever saw, and he knows a good one when he sees it."
"I congratulate you, Sammy," said Dick. "I'm very glad you got the wheelall right and like it."
"Oh, I like it! Say, you're going to do them Franklin fellows, ain'tyou? They
beat our team, and they think they are the real stuff. I'dgive anything to see you do 'em up."
"All right," smiled Dick. "Keep your eyes open this afternoon, Sammy."