FRANK AND THE PROFESSOR.
Frank Merriwell was right in thinking he had not seen the last of the
man in black. On the third day after his first meeting with the
mysterious stranger he was astonished, while ascending the stairs, to
see that individual come out of Professor Gunn's room. Frank paused on
the flight that led to the "Cock-loft," and watched the man hurriedly
descend the stairs.
"Great Scott!" muttered the young cadet. "That is remarkable. I
wonder what he was up to in the professor's room? He saw me, but he
hustled away in a hurry."
For a moment Frank hesitated, and then he resolved to find out, if
possible, what could be the meaning of the stranger's visit. With this
object in view, he descended the stairs and approached the professor's
door, on which he rapped.
Of late Professor Gunn had been severely troubled with headaches, and,
this happening to be one of his bad days, he was stopping in his room,
with his head bound up in a cloth saturated with camphor. Frank was
obliged to rap a second time, and then the professor's shuffling step
was heard, and his cloth-bound head appeared as the door opened.
"What's wanted?" he asked, sharply. "Can't I have any peace and rest?
Speak up--what's wanted?"
"I have something to ask you, professor?" said Frank, quietly.
"Ah, is it you, Merriwell? I was going to see you later. Come in."
Not a little surprised, Frank entered the professor's room, standing
cap in hand, while the crusty old fellow seated himself in an easy
chair, and asked:
"What is it you want to see me about, young man?"
"You were lately visited by a stranger, whom I saw leaving this room a
few moments ago."
"Yes, sir--yes."
"That man assaulted me on the highway a few nights ago."
"What's that--what? Assaulted you? This is interesting--decidedly!"
"Yes, he assaulted me; but I managed to give him the worst of it, and
got away without being harmed."
"You should have reported the occurrence--you certainly should. That
was the proper thing to do--the correct thing, young man. Then I would
have known how to receive him."
"I thought he had gone away from this vicinity, but it seems that he
has not. Now, I would like to know his name. What is his name,
professor, please?"
"Eh? Ah? His name? Let me see. Now that is surprising--really
surprising. I do not think he gave me his name."
"Did not give his name? How did he obtain admission to the building?"
"That's so--how did he? I hadn't thought of that. He was the
smoothest talker I ever heard; he didn't give me a chance to ask many
questions."
"He must have had some sort of business with you."
"He did--that is, he pretended to have. He said he was here to recover
some property that belonged to him--property he lost several years ago."
The eyes of the old professor searched Frank's hands and rested on the
peculiar ring.
"So that was his trick--the scoundrel!" cried Frank, repressing his
anger with difficulty. "I presume he claimed this ring belonged to
him?"
"Well--ahem!--he described such a ring, which he said he had seen on
the hand of a student here."
"Exactly. And he named me as the possessor of the ring?"
"He said the name of the student's father was Charles Conrad Merriwell.
I believe, sir--I am quite sure, in fact--that that was the name of
your father."
Frank was fully aroused, and his brown eyes gleamed in a way that
showed how indignant he was, although it was necessary to keep his
feelings suppressed as far as possible.
"Professor Gunn," he said, swiftly, "that man is a scoundrel!"
"Eh? Ha! Hum! Severe language. Be careful, young man--be cautious.
Do not make a statement you cannot stand behind. It is dangerous--very
dangerous."
"I can stand behind every word I have said. Why, when he found I would
not sell him the ring, professor, he tried to rob me of it! That is
not only the act of a scoundrel, but that of a desperado."
"It looks bad--bad," confessed the old professor, who seemed in a
somewhat nervous and flustered state. "Tell me all about it--give the
full particulars of the occurrence."
Frank did so, telling a straightforward story, to which the professor
listened with interest that was apparent, although he now and then
pressed his hand to his head, as if the pain were troubling him.
When the story was finished, and Frank had explained what he and Bart
had discovered on the black stone set in the ring, the old professor
showed that he was quite wrought up.
"Remarkable!" he exclaimed--"re-e-markable! I am surprised--I am
puzzled. This man told a very straight story--said the ring was stolen
from him in Arizona. He said it was very valuable to him, as it was an
heirloom. He could not tell how it came into your possession--he did
not try. All he wanted was to recover his property--that was all."
"That was his scheme when he found he could not buy it from me. He did
not attempt to make you believe he was a collector of odd rings,
professor, for he knew that would do no good, and so he laid claim to
the ring. What proof did he give you that it was his property?"
"Eh? Proof? It seems as if he did give proof of some sort, but really
I don't know as he did. He was such a plausible person--so very smooth
and convincing. Why, I did not think of doubting him. But I know your
record very well since entering the academy, Merriwell. It is
satisfactory--quite satisfactory. I do not think you are the sort of a
lad to tell a deliberate falsehood--no, sir, no."
"Thank you, sir."
"That being the case, I shall have to accept your statement--yes, I
will accept it. He said he would call again to-morrow. Let him come!
I think I will have an officer on hand--he shall be arrested the moment
he shows himself. That's right--that's proper. Hum! ha! Assaulted a
cadet of Fardale Academy, did he? Attempted to rob a student at this
school, did he? Well, he shall be duly and properly punished--yes,
sir."
The professor had worked himself up into a state of considerable
excitement, seeming to have forgotten his headache for the time. He
got upon his feet and went tramping about the room in his slippers, the
heels of which had been trodden down. He perched his nose-glasses far
down on his pointed proboscis, and glared over them in a way he had
when he was endeavoring to appear very impressive before a class.
Under other circumstances Frank might have smiled at the figure cut by
the excited old man, but he was now far too angry himself to note what
was ludicrous.
"Take care of that ring, young man," advised the professor--"take the
best of care of it. It may be more valuable than it appears. There is
certainly something connected with this ring that makes it valuable to
this stranger--or else the man is a lunatic--yes, sir, a lunatic. I do
not think that--no, I do not. He appeared rational--he was quite sane
when he was here--quite so."
"I have ever regarded this ring as simply an ugly ornament that my
father ran across and took a fancy to; but now I believe it must be
something more."
"It is likely--quite likely. It seems that there is a mystery
connected with the ring. It may be solved soon--very soon. This
stranger must know a great deal concerning it. Perhaps he will tell
what he knows--perhaps he may be induced to tell."
The professor said this in a peculiar way, that seemed to say "strong
inducements" would be held out to the strange man in black.
Frank had seen Professor Gunn, and asked his question, but the mystery
was deep as ever when the boy left the professor's room.