CHAPTER II.
DARKNESS AND DAWN.
Frank could not express his astonishment.
"I can't believe it," he repeated. "Folansbee would not do such athing."
Hodge laughed shortly, harshly.
"You have altogether too much confidence in human nature, Merry," hesaid. "I never took much stock in this Folansbee. He is just the sort ofperson I would expect to do such a trick."
"The company is hot, Merriwell," said Havener. "They're ready to eatyou."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"For what?"
"For getting them into this scrape."
"I don't see how they can blame me."
There came a sound of feet outside and a bang on the door, which wasflung open before Frank could reach it. Into the room stalked GranvilleGarland, followed by the remainder of the company. Plainly all wereexcited.
"Well, Mr. Merriwell," said Garland, assuming an accusing manner andstriking a stage pose, "we are here."
"So I see," nodded Frank, calmly. "What's the matter?"
"You engaged us to fill parts in your play."
"I did."
"We hold contracts with you."
"I beg your pardon. I think you are mistaken."
"What?"
"I made no contracts with you; I simply engaged you. You hold contractswith Parker Folansbee."
"Folansbee has deserted us, sir," declared Garland, accusingly. "We havebeen tricked, fooled, deceived! We hold contracts. You were concernedwith Folansbee in putting this company on the road, and you areresponsible. We have come to you to find out what you mean to do."
"I am very sorry----" began Frank.
"Being sorry for us doesn't help us a bit," cut in Garland, rudely. "Ibelieve you knew Folansbee was going to skip."
Frank turned his eyes full on the speaker, and he seemed to look hisaccuser straight through and through.
"Mr. Garland," he said, "you are rude and insulting. I do not fancy theway you speak to me."
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"That's what I'd like to know," put in Lloyd Fowler. "I want my money. Ididn't come out here to be fooled this way."
"Mr. Fowler," spoke Frank, "you have not earned any money. Instead, youhave earned a fine by appearing on the stage last night in a state ofintoxication."
"Who says so?"
"I do."
"Then you li----"
Fowler did not quite finish the word. Frank had him by the neck andpinned him against the wall in a moment. Merry's eyes were flashingfire, but his voice was steady, as he said:
"Take it back, sir! Apologize instantly for that!"
Garland made a move as if he would interfere, but Bart Hodge was beforehim in an instant, looking straight into his face, and saying:
"Hands off! Touch him and you get thumped!"
"Get out!" cried Garland.
"Not a bit of it. If you want a scrap, I shall be pleased to give youwhat you desire."
"Here, fellows!" called Garland; "get in here all of you and give thesetwo tricksters a lesson! Come on!"
"Wait!" cried Havener, stepping to the other side of Merriwell. "Don'ttry it, for I shall stand by him!"
"Me, too, boys!" cried Cassie Lee, getting into line with her smallfists clinched, and a look of determination on her thin face. "Don'tnobody jump on Frank Merriwell unless I take a hand in the racket."
The rest of the company were astonished. They realized that Frank hadsome friends, but it was not until after he had awakened to realize justwhat the situation meant that Ephraim Gallup drew himself together andplanted himself with Merry's party.
"Whe-ee!" he squealed. "If there's goin' ter be a ruction, yeou kin betI'll fight fer Merry, though I ain't much of a fighter. I'd ruther runthen fight any day, onless I have ter fight, but I reckon I'll hev terfight in this case, if there is any fightin'."
Immediately Granville Garland became very placid in his manner.
"We didn't come here to fight," he said, "but we came here to demand ourrights."
"An' to sass Frank," put in the Vermonter. "But, b'gosh! yeou arebarkin' up ther wrong tree when yeou tackle him! He kin jest natterallychaw yeou up."
Frank still held Fowler against the wall. Now he spoke to the fellow ina low, commanding tone:
"Apologize at once," he said. "Come, sir, make haste!"
"I didn't mean anything," faltered the frightened actor. "I think I wastoo hasty. I apologize."
"Be careful in the future," advised Merry, releasing him.
Then Merry turned to the others, saying:
"Ladies and gentlemen, until Havener just brought the news, I did notknow that Parker Folansbee was gone. It was a great surprise for me, asI did not dream he was a person to do such a thing. Even now I cannotfeel that he has entirely deserted us. He may have left town rather thanface us, but I hope he has been man enough to leave money behind thatwill enable us to return to Denver, at least. You must see that we arein the same box together. I am hit as hard as any of you, for I hadhoped that Folansbee would stand by me so that I would be able to putthe play in better shape and take it out again. I have lost him as abacker, and if he has skipped without leaving us anything, I have barelyenough money to enable me to get back to Denver."
"Haven't you any way of getting hold of money?" asked Harper.
"Unfortunately, I have not," answered Merry. "If I had money in mypocket I would spend the last cent to square this thing with you."
"And I know that's on the level!" chirped Cassie Lee.
"Well, it's mighty tough!" muttered Billy Wynne. "That's all I've got tosay."
"We'll have to get up some kind of a benefit for ourselves," saidHavener. "That's the only thing left to do."
"Come up to my room," invited Miss Stanley, "and we'll try to devise ascheme for raising the dust. Come on."
They followed her out, leaving Ephraim, Bart and Frank.
"Whew!" breathed Gallup, sitting down on the bed. "Hanged if I didn'tkinder think there was goin' to be a ruction one spell. I wanted to run,but I warn't goin' to leave Frank to be thrashed by a lot of hamfatters,b'gee!"
"They were excited when they came in," said Merry, apologizing for theones who had departed. "If it hadn't been for that, they would not havethought of making such a scene."
"Well, Frank," spoke Bart, "I hope this will teach you a lesson."
"How?"
"I hope it will teach you not to put so much confidence in human natureafter this. Have less confidence and do more business in writing. Ihaven't a doubt but Folansbee would have stuck by you all right if thenew play had proved a winner, but he saw a chance to squeal when itturned out bad, and he jumped you."
"I had a contract with him about the other piece," said Merry; "but youknow he did not return from St. Louis till just before we were ready tostart out, and so I had not been able to arrange matters about thispiece."
"And that lets him out easy."
"Yes, he gets out without any trouble, and I don't believe I can do athing about it."
Again there came a rap on the door. When it was opened, a bell boy,accompanied by a gray-bearded gentleman, stood outside.
"Mr. Merriwell," said the bell boy, "here is a gentleman to see you."
The man entered.
"Walk right in, sir," invited Merry. "What can I do for you?"
Frank closed the door. The stranger slowly drew off his gloves,critically looking Merriwell over.
"So you are Mr. Frank Merriwell?" he said.
"Yes, sir."
"I recognize you," nodded the man. "Do you remember me?"
"No, sir; I can't say that I do, although I believe I have seen yourface before."
"I think you have, but I did not wear a full beard then."
"Ah! Then it is possible the beard has made the change that prevents mefrom recognizing you."
"Quite likely."
"Will you sit down?"
"I have some important business with you," ex
plained the stranger, witha glance toward Gallup and Hodge.
Immediately Bart started for the door.
"See you later, Frank," he said. "Come on, Ephraim."
Gallup followed Hodge from the room.
When they were gone, Frank again invited the stranger to be seated.
"Thank you," said the man, as he accepted a chair. "For reasons I wishyou would look at me closely and see if you recognize me. I recognizeyou, although you are older, but I must proceed with the utmost cautionin this matter, and I wish you would recognize me and state my name, sothat I may feel absolutely certain that I am making no mistake."
Frank sat down opposite the gentleman, at whom he gazed searchingly. Heconcentrated his mind in the effort to remember. Frank had found that hecould do many difficult things by concentration of his mental forces.Now he sought to picture in his mind the appearance of this man withouta beard. Gradually, he felt that he was drawing nearer and nearer theobject he sought. Finally he made a request:
"Please speak again, sir."
"Why do you wish me to, speak again?" said the stranger, smiling.
"So that your voice may aid me in remembering. I wish to associate yourvoice and your face."
"Very well. What do you wish me to say?"
"You have said enough. I have your voice now."
"I'm afraid you'll not be able to remember," said the stranger. "Itdoesn't make any great difference, for I recognize you, and I can makeassurance doubly sure by asking you a few questions. First, I wish toask----"
"Excuse me," interrupted Merry. "You are from Carson City, Nevada. Youare connected with the bank in Carson, where I deposited a certainamount of valuable treasure, found by myself and some friends years agoin the Utah Desert. Your name is Horace Hobson."
"Correct!" cried the man, with satisfaction. "Now, can you produce thereceipt given you for that treasure?"
"Yes, sir," nodded Frank, immediately producing a leather pocketbook andopening it. "I have it here."
In a moment he had found the paper and handed it to Mr. Hobson.
The gentleman adjusted some gold-rimmed nose-glasses and looked thereceipt over.
"This is the receipt," he nodded. "You instructed the bank officials touse every effort and spare no expense to find the relatives of Prof.Millard Fillmore and the rightful heirs to the treasure."
"I did."
"I am here to inform you that the bank has carried out your instructionsfaithfully."
"Then you have found Prof. Fillmore's relatives?" quickly asked Merry,his heart sinking a bit.
"On the contrary, we have found that he has no relatives living. Heseems to have been the last of his family--the end of it----"
"Then----"
"It has been necessary for us to go to considerable expense to settlethis point beyond a doubt, but we have done so, in accordance with yourdirections. Of course, we shall not lose anything. We have ascertainedthe exact value of the treasure, and have deducted for our expense andtrouble. At a meeting of the bank directors I was instructed to turnover the remainder to you. I have here papers showing the exactvaluation of the treasure as deposited with us. Here is a completeaccount of all our expenses and charges. We have found a balanceremaining of forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty-eightdollars. I was sent to turn this money over to you, as I could identifyyou beyond doubt, and there could be no mistake. To make it certain inmy own mind, I wished you to recognize me. You did so, and I knew Icould not be making a mistake. I will take up this receipt here, and inreturn will give you a check for the amount, if that is satisfactory toyou."
Frank sat like one dazed, staring at Horace Hobson. Was it possible thathe was not dreaming? Was he in his hour of need to receive this immensesum of money? No wonder he fancied he was dreaming.
At last he gave himself a slight shake, and his voice did not falter ashe said:
"It is perfectly satisfactory to me, sir. I will accept the check."