“TRUE AS STEEL.”
Shortly after the three actors departed, Ephraim Gallup came bursting
into Frank’s room, looking excited and agitated.
“Gol-darn my pertaturs!” he spluttered. “Whut’s this I hear abaout
Hodge?”
“I don’t know,” said Frank. “What do you hear?”
“He’s gone!”
“Yes.”
“Skipped?”
“Yes.”
“’Thout notifyin’ yeou?”
“Yes.”
“Jee-roo-sa-lum!”
Gallup was stricken dumb for the moment. He stood there, his mouth
yawning and his eyes bulging, utterly incapable of expressing his
emotions.
Frank was packing some articles into his grip. He seemed to be making
arrangements to depart.
“Jee-roo-sa-lum!”
Again the Vermont youth uttered the exclamation. He straightened up and
cleared his throat. His mouth came together, and he began to look angry.
“By gum!” he exploded. “That’s whut I call a darn mean trick! I swan to
man I never thought Hodge’d go back on yeou, Frank!”
Merry was silent, calmly continuing the packing of his grip.
“An’ they’re sayin’ daown in the office that he swiped somethin’ wut
didn’t b’long to him,” said Ephraim.
That gave Frank a start.
“Who says so?” he asked, his heart giving a leap and seeming to drop
back heavily, as if weighted down with sudden dread.
Was it possible Bart had stolen something from the hotel? Frank could
not believe it.
“Why, some of the comp’ny.”
“Ah!”
It was a breath of relief that came from Merry’s lips, and still the
suspense was not fully removed. What if Hodge had taken something
belonging to some other member? Under the circumstances, it would brand
him as a thief, even though actors frequently appropriated articles
belonging to others of the craft, without seeming to regard it as
stealing. In this case, nearly every member of the company would be
against Bart, and they would magnify any little occurrence that might
damage him.
“What were they saying?” asked Frank, with apparent unconcern. “What do
they claim Bart has taken?”
“They say Vance knows he tuck somethin’ frum yeou, Frank.”
“Oh, is that the yarn! Well, I wonder how Lester Vance knows so much?”
“I dunno.”
“It would seem more manly for him to be silent about Hodge under the
circumstances. If he talks too much it will look like a case of spite.”
“That’s so.”
Frank was relieved, and still he wondered how Vance could be certain
enough to make such a charge against Hodge. He soon decided that it must
be no more than suspicion on the part of Bart’s foe. Lester had seen
Bart leave Merry’s room, and he had decided that Hodge had been in there
for no honest purpose. That must be the explanation of the accusation
against the erring youth.
“Hodge didn’t take ennything of yeou, did he, Frank?”
Ephraim threw the question fairly and squarely at Merry.
Instantly Frank straightened up, giving the Vermont youth a look that
seemed full of resentment and indignation.
“How can you ask such a question, Ephraim Gallup!” he cried. “I am
astonished! Have you forgotten how many times Bart has been unjustly
accused of such things? Have you forgotten how I have always stood by
him without ever once being mistaken? Do you think Bart Hodge would
stoop to do me a deliberate injury now?”
Ephraim was abashed for a moment, and then he said:
“Waal, he’s doin’ yeou an injury by jumpin’ aout an’ leavin’ ye in this
air kind of way, by thutter!”
“He didn’t stop to think what he was doing. That’s what’s the matter. If
he had, wild horses could not have dragged him away.”
“Mebbe so.”
“You know it, Ephraim—you know it! Hodge is passionate and hot-headed.
After his call down by Havener to-day he came to me in my dressing room.
We had some words.”
“Great juniper!”
“Hodge was unreasonable. I found it impossible to talk the matter over
with him properly. When I tried to do so, he flew off the handle. For
the first time since we became chums I was unable to control him. His
hot temper had burned his reason out. He left the theater and rushed
here to the hotel. Without delay he packed up and took a train out of
town. If he had given himself time to cool down he would not have
thought of doing such a thing.”
“I don’t like somethin’ they’re sayin’ about him naow.”
“What?”
“That is kainder looks ez if he run away to git rid of meetin’ Vance
ag’in.”
Frank laughed.
“That is the worst kind of foolish talk,” he said. “Hodge would not run
from an army of fellows like Lester Vance.”
“I don’t b’lieve he would, uther,” nodded Ephraim.
“If Vance had such a fancy in his head he is fooling himself.”
“I kainder think he b’lieves it hisself, by thutter!”
“He doesn’t know the kind of material Bart Hodge is built from.”
“Whut yeou goin’ to do, Frank?”
“I shall attempt to follow Hodge and bring him back.”
“No? Yeou don’t mean it!”
“Certainly I mean it. Do you think I am going to let the poor fellow go
to ruin? To-morrow he will be overwhelmed with shame for his hasty act,
but that very shame will keep him from returning unless I find him and
bring him back.”
“Frank,” said Ephraim, “yeou are the kaind of a friend to hev! Yeou
stick to yeour friends to the last gasp. Be yeou goin’ right erway?”
“Yes.”
“Do yeou know where Bart’s gone?”
“No; but I have a fancy that he has struck for St. Joseph first. I shall
try to trace him there.”
“Will yeou be back to-morrer?”
“I hope to, but I am not coming back till I find Bart Hodge!”
“But whut be we goin’ to do?”
“I’ll make arrangements about that. I want you to find Havener and send
him here to this room without delay. I have some instructions to give
him.”
“All right,” said Ephraim. “I’ll hunt him up an’ tell him.”
He hurried from the room. Outside the door he paused a moment.
“By gum!” he muttered. “Was there ever another feller that stuck to his
friends same as Frank Merriwell does? He’s true ez steel!”
Havener came up and found Merriwell all ready to leave. The stage
manager looked rather dejected.
“I’m sorry about this business, Mr. Merriwell,” he said, humbly. “I’m
sure I didn’t think it would end this way. If I had dreamed it would I
should have permitted Hodge to do just as he liked.”
“And thus ruined the discipline of the entire company,” said Frank. “You
would have made a great mistake, Havener.”
“But he’s gone—he’s skipped.”
“Yes.”
“And he has done it because I spoke to him on the stage. I might have
taken another opportunity.”
“Mr. Havener, when I made you stage manager of this company I did so
with the full intention that you should manage the stage and the people
on it. I made no reservations. At rehearsal I am under you, and I
thoroughly understand that. It is the only way to run a company as it
should be run. A stage manager must have absolute authority in his
province, or he is of very little value. I tried to tell this to Hodge,
but he was too hot to listen.”
“But Hodge is your friend.”
“Yes.”
“And you always stand by your friends.”
“Always. At the same time I will not uphold a friend to the absolute
injury of somebody else. I will stand by him and endeavor to convince
him of his error, if he has made one; but I will not aid him in injuring
another person.”
Havener brightened and the downcast look left his face.
“I was afraid you would blame me in this matter,” he said. “It’s pretty
rough to be upset just like this, after all the troubles you have had
and just when there seemed to be plain sailing ahead.”
“I do not blame you at all, Havener. I have heard just what took place
on the stage, and I have no complaint to make.”
“Thank you,” said Havener, much relieved.
“You have nothing to thank me for. I am going away. I am going to make
an attempt to overhaul Hodge and bring him back.”
“The performance to-night——”
“Will not take place.”
“The manager of the theater will be furious.”
“I can’t help that.”
“What will you do about it?”
“I want you to attend to that matter.”
“You will give me instructions?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You are to notify the box office without delay that sale of seats must
stop.”
“Oh, but there will be a flurry!”
“Tell the manager just what has happened. Here is a check which I have
made out for you. It is for five hundred dollars.”
Frank handed Havener the check.
“What’s this for?” asked the stage manager.
“To settle with the manager of the opera house and to pay bills here
till I return.”
Havener slowly shook his head.
“I’m afraid this won’t do,” he said.
“Not enough?”
“Yes.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“It’s a check on a Denver bank, and it’s for five hundred dollars. I
don’t think I can get it cashed in this place, Mr. Merriwell. You have
plenty of ready money. You had better give me some of that.”
Just a bit of color added its flush to Frank’s cheeks.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Havener,” he said, “I have not plenty of ready money
at the present time.”
“But—but you told me on the train——”
“I know what I told you. I said I was carrying several hundred dollars
with me so that I’d not get in a tight corner.”
“Yes, you told me so.”
“I have disposed of that money since coming to Atchison.”
Havener stared.
“Disposed of it?” he muttered as if he did not understand.
“Yes. I have none of it handy now. For myself, I have less than a
hundred dollars, which I was carrying on my person, but that will be
enough for the present.”
“Remarkable!” exclaimed Havener. And then, all at once, a singular
expression came over his face. “It isn’t possible that what they are
saying about Hodge is true?” he exclaimed. “You don’t mean to admit
that——”
“I do not mean to admit anything of the sort!” Merry cut in, without
waiting for him to finish. “Vance was here with his unpleasant hints and
suggestions. I will make that check good.”
“Make it good?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“By getting the name of the hotel proprietor on the back of it.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“I know that Mr. Kent Carson, who knows the proprietor of this house
very well, has vouched for me here, and the word of Kent Carson goes
anywhere in Kansas or Colorado.”
“If that’s right, you are lucky. I believe I understand why you are
determined to follow Hodge up. I hope you catch him, Mr. Merriwell. I
didn’t think it of him!”
“That is the kind of talk I do not like,” declared Frank, sharply. “I
have a favor to ask of you.”
“I shall be glad to grant it, you may be sure of that.”
“You are to inform the company that I have left five hundred dollars
with you to keep things straight and as a guarantee that I will return.”
“All right.”
“But you are not to say that I left you a check for five hundred
dollars. You are to let them infer that I left the cold cash. Do you
understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You are to permit no member of the company to see you cash that check.”
“Very well.”
“If anyone hints that there is anything queer about this business you
are to silence that person without delay.”
“I’ll do it, all right.”
“You know what to do in relation to the theater here.”
“But what if you do not return in time for us to play in Leavenworth?”
“I will cancel with Leavenworth by wire. No: if you do not hear from me
by ten o’clock to-morrow forenoon you cancel. That will be better, for I
might be where I could not wire you.”
“Say, but this is tough!” exclaimed Havener. “I hoped there would not be
any more of this kind of business.”
“So did I,” nodded Frank; “but we can’t help it. It’s pretty ragged, but
we’ll have to swallow it.”
“I don’t understand how it is that you still hold a feeling of
friendliness toward a fellow who could put you in such a bad box.”
“That is because you do not understand Hodge and our relations. If I let
him go now without an attempt to bring him back, I should regret it
always.”
“It’s a lucky fellow who wins such friendship as yours,” said Havener,
admiringly. “But I’m afraid Hodge doesn’t deserve it.”
“I don’t like that kind of talk!” exclaimed Frank, with a slight show of
impatience. “I have upheld you in the matter of the affair at rehearsal,
but I don’t like to hear you say anything against Hodge now.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“All right. Now we will go down and find the proprietor of the hotel. I
believe he will put his name to that check. I’ll take my deposit book
along, to show him that I have a little something in the bank at
Denver.”
They descended the stairs, Frank carrying his grip, but leaving his
handsome light overcoat behind. The proprietor of the hotel was found,
and in less than five minutes Merry had talked him into putting his name
on the check, although he regretted doing so as soon as Frank was gone.