For some moments Frank and f.a.n.n.y were silent, both seeming embarra.s.sed.
At last, he asked her about the burns she had received, and they chatted in a commonplace way for some time.
"Do you know," he said, "when I heard you scream that night and saw the fire, my heart nearly leaped out of my mouth. I was afraid I could not reach you in time to keep the fire from your face and neck."
"What if you hadn"t! I"m not a raving beauty now, and it would not have damaged my looks very much."
"Don"t say that, Miss Darling! It would have been terrible! And you are pretty! I am sincere!"
She gasped for breath.
"Really-really, Mr. Merriwell! It"s impossible! Why, there is Mabel!"
"I know. She is charming, but to my eyes, you are far prettier. Don"t think I am trying taffy, for I give you my word, Miss Darling, that I am not."
"Why, I-I thought you were dead stuck on Mabel!" cried the wondering girl.
"Not that. I like her, and she has treated me very nicely."
"Yes, far better than I have; but that night, after you had saved me, I heard the doctor say, that if you did not save my life, at least you had prevented my frightful disfigurement. Oh, you will never know the sensation that came over me then! Such a sense of shame, for I thought how I had treated you. But-but I want to tell you something now, Mr.
Merriwell. It is awfully hard for me to say, but I must say it. I did not treat you that way because I disliked you. No! no! no! It was for just the other reason. I liked you too well-there! I thought you did not care anything for me and was all taken up with Mabel, so I tried to get a dab at you every time I could. It was mean-I know it! I didn"t expect you to forgive me, for I am sure I did not deserve it. And then, after all the mean things I had done, you pa.s.sed all those near me when I was in danger and saved me! I could have died from shame!"
She was sobbing now, although fighting back the tears. He did his best to soothe her, and succeeded very well.
"I think we understand each other very well now," he said.
The closed carriage rolled on. The coachman pulled down the horses to a slower pace, as if he knew there was no need to hurry. The footman sat up very straight, with folded arms and solemn, dignified countenance, as if such a thing as curiosity had never entered his heart, and he had no thought of the young couple within the carriage.
Yes, they understood each other very well at last.
CHAPTER x.x.xVII-THE LAST BLOW-CONCLUSION
The gymnasium of the Olympic Athletic Club was crowded. There were seats all around the room, and a roped-off ring in the center. A referee and two judges had been chosen. Hank Burk"s second was Wallace Hegner, his trainer. Tom Jackson had a second who seemed to know his business.
The excitement was at fever heat, for the great match was about to begin. The princ.i.p.als came out and entered the ring, accompanied by their seconds. They wore bath robes, which were soon flung aside. Then the spectators cheered as they saw the two lads stripped to the waist.
On choice by lot the Olympic had secured the bout for themselves; but the guests of the Fairmount were admitted, so all of Frank Merriwell"s friends were there.
But Frank-where was he?
"I can"t understand it," declared Diamond. "It is most remarkable that he should not be here. I didn"t suppose anything could keep him from this mill."
Hodge looked worried.
"He will be here," Bart declared. "You know he has promised a sensation, but I"m afraid he failed in securing the evidence he needs."
Tang!-the gong sounded.
Burk and Jackson advanced to shake hands.
Then it was that Frank came hustling into the room, looking flushed but triumphant. Hurrying to the ringside, he turned to the spectators and cried:
"This match must be stopped five minutes! I have something to tell you before it goes on!"
There was a murmur of astonishment and disapproval. The audience, their nerves tingling with the desire to see the boxers go at each other, were angered by the interruption.
"You can tell it afterward," cried a voice.
"No!" came firmly from Frank. "It must be told now, for it concerns this match. I know you all want to see fair play-with a very few exceptions.
I tell you now that there is a job here, and I can prove it! This match is fixed!"
What a stir that created! For some moments it seemed that there would be a riot, but the excited spectators cooled down at last, although a dozen voices demanded the proof.
In the ring Hank Burk and Tom Jackson looked at each other in a startled way, while Wallace Hegner"s face grew pale.
"What does he know?" asked Burk in a whisper.
"He can"t know anything," said Jackson. "He is putting up a bluff."
Hegner found his voice and demanded that Merriwell be removed from the room. But it was too late, as he soon saw, for the young fellows who had heard his a.s.sertion were eager to hear more.
"I know you do not permit betting," Frank cried; "but there has been betting on this match. Large sums of money have been staked on the result, but a most surprising fact is that the princ.i.p.al backer of Jackson-the one who has furnished most of the money bet on him is the trainer of Burk, Mr. Wallace Hegner!"
Hegner gave a howl and made a rush for Frank, but Bruce Browning was on hand and interposed his ma.s.sive form, grasping the furious lad by the collar and holding him helpless.
"I will tell you how I know this," Frank went on, speaking swiftly.
"This Hegner has a grudge against me, and, with several of his friends, a gang of thugs, he attacked me the other night. In the fight I secured a handkerchief marked with his initials, and he came very near getting a knife into me. One of the gang was captured, a fellow known as Shiner Gregg. The police have been wanting to get hold of Gregg for some time, and when he fell into their hands they "put on the screws." As a result of the squeezing the fellow has confessed everything. He told how Mr.
Hegner obtained his money to stake on this crooked match. Two weeks ago the jewelry store of Isaac Rosenfeld was entered and robbed. Gregg says Hegner planned the robbery and was one of the four concerned in it."
"It"s a lie-a downright lie!" screamed Hegner, struggling to reach Frank. "Let me get at him! I will kill him!"
"It is the confession of Shiner Gregg," said Frank. "He says this match was fixed-that Jackson would win, and Burk would receive good pay for flunking. Here is the proof that I have spoken the truth."
He whistled, and into the room came six uniformed policemen. They quickly reached the ring, and Hegner, who had fought like a tiger to break from Browning, was collared, handcuffed and taken in charge.
By this time, in some mysterious manner, Burk and Jackson had disappeared. The spectators were furious. They talked of tar and feathers.
Wallace Hegner, limp, white and crushed, was marched away between the officers. As he pa.s.sed Merriwell he lifted his eyes, but they fell instantly, and his appearance was that of a whipped cur.
Frank"s second blow had been a knockout.
Hegner was held for the Grand Jury, tried and convicted, for overwhelming evidence against him was obtained. As it seemed to have been his first offense, he was given a comparatively light sentence.
Frank pitied the fellow at last, for all the heart and life seemed gone out of him. Never before had Frank struck an enemy such a blow as that.