CHAPTER XIX
A CLEAR CASE
The shot had told--Frank saw this at once.
Brady gasped for breath and turned white as a sheet.
"W--what diamond bracelet?" stammered the man.
"I guess you know," said Frank. "I guess, too, that the best and safestthing for you to do is to get that bracelet back to the man you stole itfrom before he sends an officer after you."
Brady simply stared at Frank. He was all taken aback. Frank saw that he wasdumfounded and scared. He followed up his advantage.
"You can't play any of your 'reformed man' tricks here, I can tell you," hecontinued. "You practiced your game pretty well in that plug hat andswallow-tail coat up at the cabin."
"The cabin?" repeated Brady, as though he was shocked.
"Yes; the cabin with those precious 'detectives' you told the professorabout, Jem and Dan."
"Say--look here--I don't see---- How do you know?"
"Never mind; you see I do," interrupted Frank. "Now, then, you follow myadvice. You get those two pieces of card together, and get that braceletfrom the man who has it in safekeeping for you."
Brady's eyes goggled. The amount of information Frank had about him, itstremendous importance, staggered the man. He almost reeled where he stood.
"Send it at once to Samuel Mace at Tipton," went on Frank, "if you don'twant to be hunted down across the world if necessary. Then get as far asyou can from here. If you don't you're lost. Yes, sir," declared Frankimpressively, "a lost man."
"Thunder!" ejected the tramp in an overwhelmed sort of a way.
"You'd ought to be ashamed, hunting down an honest boy like Ned Foreman,who is trying to make a man of himself," continued Frank indignantly."You've nigh ruined his chances already. You want to leave him alone. Meanand low as you are, he is ashamed to tell the professor about it, but I'lltell him, you bet. Now, then, you get away from here, double-quick."
The tramp started up as if he had been struck by a whip.
"And stay away," added our hero.
"I'm an abused man," sniffled Brady, trying the pathetic tack again."You're talking Greek to me about diamonds, and that such. Suppose I was abad one once, ain't I a reformed man now?"
"No, nor never will be, until you tell what dodge you're up to in gettingNed into your clutches again."
"Boy, you mistake a poor old reformed man," said Brady, drawing ahandkerchief from his pocket to wipe his screwed-up eyes. As he did this alose pack of playing cards came out with the handkerchief and scattered allaround the ground, much on his confusion and assumed surprise.
"That looks like a reformed man, doesn't it?" said Frank. "You're a real,right bad one, you are. Now you get away from here."
Brady went. He gave Frank an awful look of hatred and menace, but hehurried his steps.
Frank stood watching him until the fellow was clear out of sight. Then,very thoughtfully, he walked back to the school.
"Maybe I said too much; maybe I spoiled my own case," he reflected, "but Iwas thinking of Ned's interests."
Frank had an idea in his mind that he would go to Professor Elliott, tellhim the whole story from beginning to end, and see if something could notbe done, here at Bellwood, to have the officers of the law try and find thestolen diamond bracelet.
When Frank got to his room Bob Upton was awake, and, pale andworried-looking, Ned Foreman sat conversing with him, and both occupiedFrank's thoughts for the next hour.
Frank had a reassuring talk with Ned. He told him that he need not worryabout Brady any further, that he had pretty effectually scared the rascalaway.
"All he can do is to try and kidnap you," explained Frank. "So you keeppretty close to the academy for the next few days. Then I'll know if he ishanging around here anywhere."
The next day Professor Elliott went away from Bellwood to visit a friend,and Frank had no chance to talk with him about Ned, as he had planned.
Late that afternoon Frank strolled alone from the school grounds. He had nodefinite purpose in view when he started. A little distance progressed,however, he thought of the old hut, and made up his mind to see if he couldlocate it.
For the first time since becoming a student at Bellwood Frank wore thelight checked suit of clothes, the counterpart of which he had given toNed.
Our hero had a pretty good idea as to the direction of the old cabin. Hemust have gone a mile, when, as he was passing through a dense patch ofshrubbery, Frank became aware that some persons were following him.
Two men were skulking in his rear, advancing as he advanced, but keepingwell under the shadow and shelter of the bushes.
"It's those two men--Jem and Dan," said Frank to himself.