"Is anything the matter with little Frank?" exclaimed Inza, hastily rising. "Is he ill, Maggie?"
"Nivver a bit," answered the girl. "He"s slaping loike a top."
"But what is it? You look so queer."
"It"s quare Oi feel, ma"am. Oi left him in his little bed a whoile ago to take a bit av a breath, which Oi naded. Whin Oi came back he was there, all roight, all roight, but it"s moighty odd he looks to me."
Inza followed Maggie to the chamber where the child lay asleep.
"Lift the window shade and let in the light," she said.
It happened that Frank came over to the house a few moments later to get a book he needed, and he was startled when his wife, pale and shaking, came flying down the stairs, seized him by the arm, and panted:
"Come, Frank--this minute! Come quick! The baby!"
Believing the child seriously ill, Merry lost no time in following his wife. They found Elsie beside the crib. The baby lay there wide awake, looking at them in a wondering way as they stooped above him.
"Why, he doesn"t seem to be ill, Inza," said Merry. "You frightened me.
I thought he was dying."
She clutched his arm with a grip that was almost frantic in its astonishing strength.
"Look at him!" she hoa.r.s.ely cried. "Look close!"
"What is it, Inza? What do you see?"
"His hair--can"t you see the change?"
"The change?"
"Yes, yes! His hair is lighter!"
"Lighter?"
"Yes, lighter than little Frank"s! And his eyes--his eyes are blue!
Frank"s were brown!"
"Great heavens, it"s true!" burst from Merriwell. "What does it mean, Inza? What sort of juggling in this?"
"Frank Merriwell, that"s not our child!"
He staggered as if struck a terrible blow.
"Not our child? Then, who---- What child is it? Where did it come from?
You must be mistaken, Inza!"
"I"m not! I know my own baby boy!"
"The star--look for the star!" shouted Merriwell.
Almost fiercely he seized the baby"s garments and with one movement tore them from the tiny shoulder.
The mark of the star was not there!
Merriwell straightened up and stood for a moment like a man turned to stone. In that moment, however, while he outwardly seemed so inactive and dumfounded his brain was working swiftly.
"Where"s Lizette?" he demanded, and his voice was calm and cold.
"Where"s Lizette, Maggie?" panted Inza, turning on the now thoroughly frightened servant.
"In her room, ma"am, Oi suppose," was the answer.
"Find her," said Frank. "Bring her here instantly."
Maggie rushed away and soon returned with the announcement that Lizette was not in her room.
By this time Inza was so frightened that she was threatened with hysterics. She almost fought Elsie, who was seeking to calm her.
"Let me talk to her, Elsie," said Frank.
He grasped his wife firmly yet gently, holding her and looking straight into her eyes.
"Look at me, Inza--look at me," he commanded. "Look me in the eyes."
Even in her frantic condition she could not disobey him. Tremblingly Elsie looked on, seeing Merry gaze intently into his wife"s dark eyes.
"Inza," said Frank, in that same calm, masterful tone, "you must be quiet. You must trust me. I"ve never failed you yet. I"ll not fail you now. That is not our child, but I will find little Frank and bring him back to you. Sit here!"
He lifted her bodily and placed her in a big easy-chair. Again he gazed intently into her eyes, and beneath that gaze she rapidly grew calmer.
"You know I"ll do what I have said I would, Inza--you know it."
"Yes," she huskily whispered, "I know it, Frank--but I"m almost distracted--I"m almost crazy! Don"t lose a moment!"
"Wait calmly and confidently when I"m gone. I"ll have to leave you. When I return I"ll place little Frank in your arms."
He kissed her.
A moment later he was gone.
CHAPTER XVI.
FOR THE SAKE OF OLD DAYS.