CHAPTER XXXVII.
BOY SHADOWERS.
And so they took the next train for Carson City.
Isa Isban and her companion of the dark mustache were on the same train,as they learned without difficulty.
The girl and the man were in the same car with the boys, but neither ofthem seemed to pay the least attention to the latter.
"Look here, Frank," said Bart, "tell me how you happened to getacquainted with her."
Frank did so, and Bart's face clouded as he listened.
"I know you are great at catching on with the girls," Bart observed;"but I swear I did not believe Vida Melburn was the sort to take up witha chance acquaintance, under any circumstances."
Frank laughed.
"Now, you are jealous, old man," he said. "It came about naturallyenough, and she acted like a lady."
"But not like the Vida Melburn I know."
"I do not believe she is the Vida Melburn you know. You have beendeceived by a resemblance, my boy."
Bart shook his head.
"Not much! Don't take me for a fool, Frank! I am not such a dunderheadas that--oh, no!"
"Then she lied to one of us."
Bart's face lighted a bit.
"Possibly she did not care to give you her right name, having made youracquaintance in such a manner. That must be the real explanation."
"Look here, Bart, that girl is too unsophisticated, too innocent towork that kind of a game. She has the most innocent face I ever saw."
"You are right," the dark-haired lad confessed, "Vida would not belikely to do such a thing. She is frank and open as the day."
"Well, what do you make of it?"
"I don't know what to make of it."
"Tell me how you came to know her."
"She was visiting at Fardale, and I became acquainted with her. Sheliked me and--I liked her. We were together a great deal. She did nottell me much about herself, but, still, I learned a few things. Her homeis in Sacramento, but she has relatives in Carson City. I found out thatthere had been trouble between her father and mother, and they hadseparated. That is how her father happened to send her East. Herrelatives at Fardale did not regard me with favor for some reason, andthey ordered me to have nothing more to say to her. Still, we metoccasionally, and--to tell the truth, old boy--I fell in love with her.They found out we were seeing each other secretly, and they made arumpus about it. Then they wrote to her father, and they sent for her toreturn to the West. She was shipped off in a hurry, so we would see nomore of each other; but she wrote me a short note, telling me to addressher at Austin, Nevada. I did so, and, as I happen to have a rich olduncle in California, I proposed to come out here. She answered, sayingshe would be in Reno just three days ago, and for me to meet her at therailway station, if possible. It looked impossible then, but I was hardhit, and I made a big hustle to get away from school and come out here.I worked all kinds of schemes on the governor, and he finally agreed tolet me come West to visit Uncle Hiram. I came, and I was in Reno on thedate set, but she did not appear. I have been there every day since, andto-day she came. You know the rest."
Frank regarded his friend steadfastly for some moments, smilingcovertly.
"You are a queer fellow, Bart," he said. "You go to extremes ineverything. Now, stop and think of chasing away out here after a girl.It is----"
Bart interrupted him with a sharp gesture.
"Oh, I know--I don't deny that I am a fool! At the same time I can'thelp it. I never saw a girl before this one that I cared a snap for. Sheseems to be my affinity."
Frank's laugh rang out merrily.
"Affinity is good!" he exclaimed. "You are hard hit. And the girl threwyou down when you appeared on the scene. What do you make of that?"
Bart scowled.
"I am sure of one thing."
"And that is--what?"
"She is in trouble."
"Who is the man with her?"
"That is what I'd like to know. I am sure she fears him. She must haveseen him, and she must have feared to recognize me. There can be noother explanation."
"He is not her father, is he?"
"That creature the father of that girl? Well, not much!"
"No, he is not. If I remember right, she called him Paul. Can he be herbrother?"
"Never!"
"Then, what is he?"
"You tell."
"I can't."
"More than ever am I sure she is in trouble--great trouble. I amdetermined to know the truth. I will learn it from her own lips."
"How?"
"By following her till I get an opportunity to speak with her."
"Well, Bart, you are so badly struck that all I can do is hang by youand see you through. We will solve the mystery of this girl, if we arecapable of doing so."
"Right you are, Frank."
Then they spoke of other matters, old friends at Fardale, and how thingswere moving there. Bart told all about the events that had taken placeat the academy since Frank left, how they had missed him as a leader insports of all kinds, how often he was spoken of with admiration andaffection by his old comrades, and how even the professors held him upas a model to be emulated.
"They seem to have forgotten the pranks you were up to and the larks youwere in," said Bart; "but they remember that you stood at the head ineverything you undertook."
Then Frank told of his own adventures in knocking about, and Bartregarded him with still greater admiration.
"You are the luckiest fellow alive!" declared the dark-haired lad. "Iwish I had a rich and eccentric old uncle to kick the bucket and leaveme a big fortune on condition that I would 'travel over the world toadvance my education and broaden my ideas.' Say, that uncle of yours wasa good thing!"
"Uncle Asher was original in everything."
"I should guess yes. When are you going abroad?"
"Very soon. Professor Scotch will make arrangements for such a movewhile he is in the East."
"You are the envy of Fardale. Hans Dunnerwust returned with a stock oftales of astounding adventures, which he managed to bungle badly in thetelling. And now I suppose Barney Mulloy will take his turn. Betweenthem they will make you out one of the most remarkable heroes of moderntimes."
Thus the boys chatted till Carson City was reached.
All the while Bart was watching the girl closely, and he saw that shereally intended to get off at Carson.
The boys slipped out of the car, and were on the platform as soon as thepair they were following reached it. It happened that the stationplatform was crowded, and they were swallowed by the throng, so theyfound it easy to keep out of sight of the man and girl.
The man seemed to watch to see if the boys left the car, while the girltried to draw him away. After some moments he submitted, and theyentered a closed carriage.
"Here!" exclaimed Frank, catching hold of a sleepy driver and giving hima whirl; "see that carriage?"
"Yep."
"Don't lose sight of it for a moment, but do not seem to follow it.Understand?"
"I reckon."
"Good! If you do the trick well, you get a tenner."
"Got it?"
"See."
Frank showed his roll, on the outside of which were the bright newfifty-dollar bills.
"Get in."
The boys sprang in lively, the door closed on them, the driver leaped tohis seat, the whip cracked, and away they went.
"This is the first time I ever played the detective," said Bart.
"But it is not the first time for me," declared Frank. "I have found itnecessary, several times, in New York, Chicago, New Orleans andelsewhere."
"I noticed how ready you were to do the proper thing. You did not givethem the start."
"Not a bit of it."
"You are the same old, self-reliant, hustling, go-ahead Frank Merriwell.The only changes I can see in you are for the better."
"Thank you."
The driver in advance was a hustling fellow, and he had two good horse
s.He sent them right along. Now, it was fortunate that, although, thedriver behind was a sleepyhead, he, also, had some fine horses, and hedid not make any great effort to keep them at a clipping pace.
It is probable that the man with the black mustache regarded the boyswith no little contempt, for he surely made no effort to give them theslip. It is likely he did not fancy they would follow him so hotly.
At length the carriage in advance stopped before a certain house, andthe driver got down to open the door.
The driver who was carrying the boys continued past, turned the firstcorner, stopped short, jumped down, opened the door, and said:
"Got 'em? They're just round the corner back yon."
"And you have earned your X," said Frank, springing out.