JOYFUL NEWS.
Frank came near shouting his astonishment. At first he scarcely could
believe the evidence of his senses.
The proctor--alive--uninjured--there! The proctor, whom he had believed
drowned and at the bottom of the Quinnepiac River! It seemed a miracle.
For a moment it seemed to Frank that it could not be true. How was it
possible?
The man seemed to understand Merriwell’s agitation, for he laughed
exultantly. That laugh did more than anything else to bring Frank to
himself.
“So you are surprised to see me here!” sneered the proctor. “Why are
you so surprised? Is there any reason why you did not expect to see me,
sir?”
Frank became remarkably cool in a moment. His heart was overflowing
with gratitude and thankfulness, but he realized that he was in
frightful danger--danger of disgrace and dismissal from college. A
short time before he would have thought that nothing to be compared
with the just punishment that menaced him, but now the proctor was
alive, and it was different.
More than that, there was something in the manner of the man that
aroused Merriwell. Frank realized that the proctor was thirsting for
revenge, and he was just the sort of man who would not hesitate at
anything to obtain it.
Had Digby Rudge met Frank in a different manner, had he not shown his
fierce hatred in his words and his voice, Merry might have betrayed
himself by an expression of his thankfulness to learn that the man
still lived.
In some marvelous manner the man had escaped drowning, and now he would
do his best to be revenged upon the lads who had ducked him in the
river.
“Good-evening, Mr. Rudge,” came with amazing coolness from Frank’s
lips. “You gave me quite a start, for I was not noticing, and you rose
up so quickly before me.”
“Oh, was that it?” sneered Rudge.
“Yes,” laughed Frank. “As a rule, I am not easily startled, but----”
“Some things that have happened to-night made you nervous, eh? Well,
you will be more nervous before I am through with you. I’ll see that
you are disgraced and driven from college, sir! I tell you this to your
face.”
So that was the proctor’s game. He knew Rudge would not hesitate at
anything to make good his threat.
“All right,” said Frank, quietly. “Go ahead. But it seems to me you are
not as crafty as usual, or you would not give me this warning. Now I
shall be on the watch for you.”
“I’ll fix you, just the same!” vowed the man.
“All right; go ahead. Good-night, Mr. Rudge. Pleasant dreams!”
Frank ran up the steps and disappeared, leaving the proctor to fume
with fury.
In his room Frank knelt down and uttered a thankful prayer, for a great
load was lifted from his soul. He felt that the adventure of that night
had taught him a lesson that he could never forget. Then he remembered
the temptation that had assailed him while he was in the water. When
he remembered all his thoughts and despair, he believed he had been
“tried as by fire,” and it seemed that he had come forth from the trial
better in every way. Experience had been his teacher that night, and
the lesson was wrought upon his brain in lines of fire. It would live
there as long as life lasted. In the future it would serve as a blazing
warning to hold him in check whenever he was tempted to do anything in
the least unmanly.
The load had been lifted from his soul, but he remembered that there
were four fellows who still were tortured by the belief that they had
aided in cutting short the life of a human being. It was his duty to
carry the joyful news to them and relieve their feelings as soon as
possible.
He waited till he felt sure the proctor had departed from the steps,
and then he slipped down and out into the cool night air again. How
grateful that air was to him now! How sweet it seemed! He drew it in
by deep draughts, as if it were wine. For the time he forgot the peril
that menaced him--he forgot the shadow of disgrace that hovered over
him.
From room to room Frank went, bearing the joyful news, which seemed far
too good for belief. Bruce Browning gasped, and dropped down in a limp
heap when he heard it, Danny Griswold came near crying for joy. Jack
Diamond laughed, and Harry Rattleton danced. All were for sneaking out
again and making a night of it, but Frank would not agree to join them.
He had not stopped to get out of his wet clothes, and he felt that he
had made quite enough of that night.
Merry returned to his room, stripped, and took a rub-down with a coarse
towel. That put him in a glow. He opened his window and looked out upon
the dark and deserted campus before jumping into bed.
“A little while ago I never dreamed I could be happy again,” he
thought; “now my heart is bursting with happiness. Poor old Rudge! I do
not wonder that he hates me. Let him get his revenge if he can. I shall
be well satisfied to defend myself as far as possible, and I shall make
no effort to strike back.”