CHAPTER III--IN A QUANDARY
Frank took a turn twice the length of the room, and then stopped beforeBarney and the others, who were watching him in silence.
"Fellows," he said, his voice firm and steady, "Inza Burrage is a girlwhom I admire very much. When I attended school at Fardale we weresweethearts. I fancy the most of you know what it is to have asweetheart at school. Circumstances may separate such sweethearts inafter years, but nothing ever makes them forget each other. They aresure to think of each other with tenderness and respect. A thousandtimes have I thought and dreamed of Inza. I have felt that I was readyto make any sacrifice for her--ready to do anything in my power for her.I have said that, if the time ever came when she needed a true friend,she could depend on me. That time has come. She is in need of a friend,and I must find her and aid her. It may be possible that I shall needthe assistance of my friends. Who may I count on?"
In a moment every boy in that room was on his feet and declaring hiseagerness to stand by Frank through anything and everything.
Frank did not smile; he was very grave and stern, although somethinglike a look of satisfaction passed across his face.
"I thought so," he nodded. "In fact, I knew it. The first thing is tofind out where Miss Burrage is."
"She may not be in San Francisco at all now," said Browning, who showedunusual interest for him.
"That is quite true."
"Oi think she is," said Barney.
"What makes you think so?"
"Lord Stanford had a haythen Chinee for a servant."
"What of that?"
"It wur thot same haythen me an Hans folleyed to th' thayater inChinatown this avenin'. Thot is how we happened to be there."
"Yah," nodded the Dutch boy; "dot vos der trute."
"That is interesting," admitted Frank. "I hope it may prove that you areright. Were you watching the Chinaman when you were attacked?"
"Hans was. Oi had sane th' rat-'ater spake to another wan, an' Oi feltsure he said somethin' about us. Oi watched the other, an' it wur a goodthing fer me that Oi did."
"The other was the one who tried to get a knife into your back?"
"Yis. Th' dirruty rascal didn't know Oi had me oie on him all th'toime."
"In the excitement that followed, you lost sight of the one you followedthere."
"Vale," said Hans, "I don'd peen aple to keep vatch uf him afderefrypody shumps ub all aroundt."
"That was most unfortunate. If you could have followed him without hisknowing it, he might have led you straight to his master."
"Thot's phwat Oi thought, me b'y."
Frank thought the matter over for a few moments, and then said:
"It seems to me that there is a probability of this Lord Stanford beingin San Francisco, although Inza's father may have taken her away. If hisservant had left him, it is not likely an attempt would have been madeon Barney's life. The Chinaman's master must have told him to look outthat he was not followed by Barney, and the heathen was going to stop itsomehow."
"It seems rather remarkable to me," said Jack, "that they should carewhether Barney followed them or not, for it is likely they now have thegirl under such close watch that there is absolutely no chance for herto run away again."
"She may have been forced into a marriage already," Browning said.
"You do not know her," declared Frank. "She is a girl of such spiritthat her father will find it extremely difficult to compel her to marryagainst her will."
"Yah," nodded the Dutch boy, "you pet me my poots on dot!"
"Begorra! she has th' clane grit in her," agreed Barney.
"That is certain," admitted Bruce, "else she would not have dared runaway as she did. Not one girl in a thousand would have the nerve to do athing like that."
"I am greatly interested to see this remarkable young lady," saidDiamond. "I like girls of spirit."
Frank paid no heed to what the others were saying. He was walking thefloor, the expression of his face showing that he was in a brown study.
"Shust look ad him," whispered Hans. "Uf he geds dot Lort Sdanfort holdtuf--vale, dot feller don't know vere he vas at purty queek alretty."
After a time, Frank paused to say:
"This is a case on which no time is to be lost, as Inza may be forcedinto a marriage if she is not soon given aid in some manner.Unfortunately, it seems to me that there is no clew to begin work onimmediately. We are at sea."
"Av you don't foind a way out av it roight off it will be th' firrusttoime ye ivver wur balked," said Barney, admiringly.
"There is always a first time, but we will hope this is not one. I amgoing to give the matter some thought. Talk it over, fellows, and see ifyou can't devise some plan."
As Frank was passing into an adjoining room, Hodge approached him,saying in a low tone:
"You must not forget that I am in constant danger every day I remain inCalifornia, Merriwell. I must get out as soon as possible."
At first a shadow of annoyance seemed to rest on Frank's face, but itquickly passed, and he said:
"You are right, Bart. A steamer leaves for Honolulu day after to-morrow.To-morrow I will secure passage on her for you."
Then he passed on into the room.
Two hours later Rattleton found Frank alone.
"Well, Merry," said Harry, "what is to be done? Have you decided yet?"
Frank shook his head.
"It is a most perplexing and puzzling situation," he confessed. "If Iknew where to find Inza it would not be long before I would have a plan.But to find her--that's the rub."
"What would you do then?" asked Harry. "You could not take her away fromher father."
"That is true. But her father is an invalid, and I believe this LordStanford has used undue influence in persuading him to force Inza intothis marriage. In London I was able to save Mr. Burrage and Inza frombeing blown to pieces by an anarchist's bomb. It is not likely that hehas forgotten this. It may be that I would have some influence with himmyself."
"It is possible," admitted Harry; "but even your influence might fail."
"In that case," declared Frank, "I should try to resort to moredesperate means."
"It is dangerous, Merry--very dangerous. Since reaching California wehave escaped from one danger by the tin of our skeeth--I mean by theskin of our teeth. Even now there is a possibility that Hodge may bearrested."
Frank scowled a little, but nodded slowly.
"I know it," he acknowledged, "but in two days Hodge will be on the seabound for Honolulu. He is to take passage on a steamer that leaves dayafter to-morrow. It is this girl I am thinking about, now, Rattle."
"Girls have caused you any amount of trouble, Merry."
"I know that, and I am willing that this girl should cause me any amountmore."
"Then it must be that you are still in love with her. This is the girlyou care about more than any other."
"I don't know," said Frank, slowly. "It may be. I have not seen her in along time, and I have seen many other girls, for some of whom I have hadmore than a passing fancy."
"It is certain that some of them have had more than a passing fancy foryou, Frank," laughed Harry.
Merriwell did not smile.
"Harry," he said, gravely, "my thoughts are now of Inza alone. All othergirls are forgotten. She always had the utmost confidence in me. Shetrusted me, and she believed I could do anything. If she knew I were inSan Francisco she would find a way to appeal to me for aid. I can fancyher alone with her invalid father, whose one ambition is to make a goodmatch for his child before he dies. I can fancy her appealing to him,begging him not to force her into this odious marriage. She is not thegirl to cringe or cry. She is impulsive, hot-blooded, passionate, and,as a last resort, to escape this English lord, she might do somethingdesperate. Nay, she might commit suicide."
Harry was inclined to laugh at this, but he saw that Merriwell was verygrave and earnest, and he refrained. He shook his head, however, saying:
"You cannot
be in earnest, old fellow. Girls do not commit suicidenowadays."
"I assure you there is no telling what a girl like Inza Burrage mightdo. That is what worries me. I feel that it is my duty to aid her, buthow--how can I reach her?"
"Pive it gup--I mean give it up, old man. Let us sleep over itto-night."
"Sleep--sleep after hearing this? Impossible!"
"But you can do nothing until daylight comes."
"That is true, and I am wondering what I shall be able to do then. Thatis why I cannot sleep."
In vain Rattleton urged Frank to lie down and rest. At last he gave itup and went into the other room to tell the boys how hard hit Frank wasby the news concerning his old sweetheart.
"I don't doubt me," nodded Hans. "Thot am shust like Vrankie. He vosalvays thinking a great deal more of somepody else apout, than he vashimself of."
"Begorra," put in Barney, "it is no more than nacheral he should think agreat dale av thot girrul. They wur the bist av swatehearts at Fardale.Although they sometimes jist quarreled a bit it's true love thot nivverdid run smooth at all, at all, and there's no telling what may happenbetwane thim. For sure there is very little smoothness in their loveaffairs."
"Ah, Merriwell is always falling in love," said Diamond. "I do notbelieve it goes very deep with him."
"An' if it is yersilf thot thinks so!" cried Barney, contemptuously,"it's little ye know about him, thin!"
Jack flushed, and seemed on the point of resenting this plain speech,but bit his lip and remained silent, although he gave Barney a blacklook.
The Irish lad did not mind looks, however, and as for words, he had aproverbial Irish tongue that could send back a witty and cutting replyfor any sort of speech.
After meeting Hans in San Francisco, Barney had been stopping with Hansat a boarding house to which they now decided to return for the night.
Before leaving, however, they had a few words with Frank, who made thempromise to come around early in the morning.
"I may have thought of some plan of action by that time," he said."Think the matter over yourselves, boys, perhaps you may be able to aidme. You know Inza, and--well, you know me. You must know I would giveanything I possess to locate her now."
"You pet mine poots we know dot," nodded Hans.
"Begorra, you're th' roight stuff, Frankie, an' Oi'm riddy to foight widyer bist frind if he maloigns ye," said Barney, thinking of Diamond.
Frank pressed their hands and bade them good-night. Then they departed.