CHAPTER XIV.
THE SIGNAL FOR SILENCE.
Lizette was hammering at Frank Merriwell's door.
"Wake up, monsieur!" she cried. "_Mon Dieu_, it is such a terribletheeng! Queek! queek! Do come, monsieur!"
Her knock and her cries brought Frank forth in pajamas.
"What is it--what's the matter?" he demanded.
The voice of Hodge was heard questioning the cause of the disturbance,and Bart came forth from another room.
Lizette seized Merry's arm.
"Oh, come queek!" she implored. "I see it from my window. I have ze badheadache so long I cannot sleep. Zen I geet up and sit by ze window. Ilook out and see some one walking beneath the trees. When he walk in zemoonlight I see it is ze Monsieur Carson. Zen all at once--oh, zeterrible theeng!"
"Go on!" commanded Frank. "All at once--what?"
"I see ze ozzer man--just ze glimpse. I see heem run out queek and softbehind Monsieur Carson. He lift his hands. He strike Monsieur Carsonwith sometheeng, and Monsieur Carson he fall down and lie so still on zegrass. Zen ze ozzer man he run away."
It did not take Frank long to go leaping down the stairs, and Hodgefollowed him closely. They tore open the door and rushed out. Within theshadow at the corner of the house they stumbled over a prostrate figure.
Frank dropped on his knees.
"It's Berlin!" he hoarsely exclaimed. "Heavens! is he dead?"
"Hardly that, Merry," came a faint whisper, as Carson stirred in Frank'sarms. "What was it that fell on me? It seemed as if the moon came downand burst upon my head. I saw a flash of fire and heard a frightfulexplosion. What happened to me?"
"Some one struck you down from behind. Lizette saw it from her window.She was sitting at the window and saw you walking here on the lawn. Shesaw the man rush upon you and knock you senseless."
"Lizette?" muttered Carson. And then again in a queer tone he said:"Lizette?"
"Yes, she saw it."
"From--her--window?" questioned Berlin.
"From her window," repeated Frank. "Have you been robbed, Carson? Theruffian must have been a robber. I presume he went through yourpockets."
"I don't know," muttered the young Westerner thickly.
"Let me see," said Frank. "He didn't take your watch, and here's yourpurse. Why, this is singular! I wonder if he saw Lizette. I wonder ifshe uttered a cry and frightened him away."
"Let's find the whelp!" snarled Hodge.
"First let's find out how badly Carson is hurt. Let's get him into thehouse."
Together they lifted Berlin and assisted him to the house between them.
Inza was calling from the head of the stairs to know what was thematter.
"Lie to her, Merry," said Hodge. "Don't let her get excited. Wait, I'lldo the lying. I'll quiet her and Elsie."
He hastened up the stairs.
Carson sat on a chair and felt of his head with both hands.
Frank struck a light, and he examined to see how badly his friend wasinjured.
"Here's a bad bump," he said; "but I don't believe your scalp is broken.Looks as if you'd been struck by a sandbag."
"Whatever it was, it put me out of commission mighty quick," mumbledBerlin. "Goodness! my head aches a whole lot. I'm weak a-plenty."
They heard Bart telling Inza and Elsie that a man had been seen prowlingaround outside. Hodge was concealing the fact that anything had happenedto Carson. He urged them to go back to their rooms.
"No need of frightening them over me, Merry," muttered Berlin. "I'm allright. My head is too thick to be easily cracked."
"Tell me just how it happened," urged Merry.
"Didn't Lizette tell you?"
"Yes, but I thought she might be mistaken in her excitement. Did you seeany one? Did you see who struck you?"
"No, I didn't see him."
"Nor hear him?"
"Nor hear him, Frank. I heard nothing. It's doubtful if I'd heard a clapof thunder just then."
"Eh, why not?"
"Oh, well, you see I was--I'd been--I'd been--thinking," falteredCarson.
"How did you happen to be out there?"
"Couldn't sleep. Went out to get the air."
"Well, let me doctor that bump. Sit right still; I'll take care of you."
Merry hurried away, soon returning with a bowl of cool water and asponge. He also had some sort of soothing liniment.
Hodge returned while Frank was at work over Berlin.
"Managed to calm the girls down and sent them back to bed," he said.
Then he took something from his pocket, clicked it, and looked it over.
"What's that?" asked Merry.
"My pistol," answered Bart grimly. "I'm going out to look for the gentwho did this little job."
"Don't go alone. Wait till I get Carson fixed, and I'll be with you."
"And that will give him plenty of time to get away. We've given him toomuch time already, Frank. Don't worry about me. I'll take care ofmyself, and I'll take care of him if I find him."
Bart went out.
"Are you feeling better, Carson?" questioned Merry.
"Oh, I tell you I'm all right," was the answer, as Berlin tried to forcea laugh.
"Who could be prowling round here?" speculated Frank. "I wonder if aburglar was trying to break in."
"That must be it," said Carson quickly. "Did Lizette describe the man?"
"No. She said she barely saw him as he rushed out behind your back andstruck you."
"It's strange that Bessie should----"
Carson checked himself.
"Bessie?" questioned Frank.
"I mean Lizette," Berlin hastened to say. "My thoughts are all in ajumble. Don't mind me if I get mixed up. I'm all right now, Merry."
"If you need a doctor----"
"I don't. You've done everything a doctor could do."
"Then if you're all right, I think I'll go out and look around forHodge."
Carson rose to his feet a trifle unsteadily.
"I'm going with you," he declared.
"You'd better not," Merry advised.
"I must--I want to."
"You're still weak."
"Oh, no; I'm strong enough. Just see, Frank, I can walk all right."
"Come on, then," said Merriwell.
All around the grounds they searched, finally finding Hodge, who statedthat he had seen no trace of any one.
"The rascal made good his escape," said Frank. "I'll notify the sherifffirst thing in the morning. A while ago there were some burglaries insurrounding towns. Perhaps the crooks have decided to operate inBloomfield."
"And it was natural they should pick out your house first, Merry," saidCarson.
They turned toward the house and paused again beneath the very treewhere Berlin had stood when he heard the mingled voices of Lizette andthe unknown man. As Frank and Hodge were talking, Carson turned away andwalked a short distance toward the house. Stepping out from beneath thetrees, he looked up.
In an open upper window a face appeared, distinctly shown by themoonlight.
It was Lizette.
He gazed up at her, and she looked down at him. Then she leaned forthfrom the window, lifted one hand and pressed a finger to her lips.
He understood the signal and nodded.
She vanished, and he saw her no more that night.