"In that case," said a voice behind them, which caused them both to start slightly, "I advise you, Mr. Kensington, to let that property alone."
Merriwell turned quickly and found himself face to face with Macklyn Morgan!
"Morgan!" exclaimed Frank.
To the ministerial face of the money king there came a smile of grim satisfaction, for he knew he had startled Frank.
"Yes, Mr. Kensington," he said, "you had better be careful about this piece of business. There are some doubts as to the validity of this young man"s claim to that mine."
Kensington did not seem pleased, and immediately he demanded:
"How do you happen to know so much about it, sir?"
"Because I am interested. My name is Macklyn Morgan. It is barely possible you have heard of me?"
"Macklyn Morgan!" exclaimed Thomas Kensington. "Why, not--why, not----"
"Exactly," nodded Morgan. "I belong to the Consolidated Mining a.s.sociation of America. You may know something of that a.s.sociation; it"s quite probable that you do."
"I should say so!" exclaimed Kensington, rather warmly. "I know that it"s a trust and that it has been gobbling up some of the best mines in the country."
"Very well. You know, then, that the C. M. A. of A. makes few mistakes.
As a member of that a.s.sociation I warn you now that you may involve yourself in difficulty if you negotiate with this young man for this mine which he claims."
Frank rose to his feet, his eyes flashing with indignation.
"That will about do for you, Morgan!" he exclaimed. "I think I have stood about as much from you as I am in the mood to stand. Mr.
Kensington, this man does belong to the Consolidated Mining a.s.sociation.
That a.s.sociation attempted to get possession of my Queen Mystery and San Pablo mines. I fought the whole bunch of them to a standstill and made them back water. They have given up the fight. But after they did so this Mr. Morgan, in conjunction with another one of the trust, did his level best to wring the Queen Mystery from me.
"The matter was finally settled right here in the courts. They were beaten. It was shown that their claims to my property were not worth a pinch of snuff. Since then Sukes, this man"s partner, met his just deserts, being shot by one of his tools, a half-crazed fellow whom he led into an infamous piece of business. This Morgan is persistent and vengeful. He has trumped up some silly charge against me and tried to frighten me into giving up to him my Queen Mystery or my new mine. It is a pure case of bluff on his part, and it has no further effect on me than to annoy me."
Both Kensington and Morgan had listened while Frank was speaking, the latter with a hard smile on his face.
"You can judge, Mr. Kensington," said Morgan, "whether a man of my reputation would be the sort to take part in anything of that kind. When it comes to bluff, this young fellow here is the limit. I tell you once more that you will make a serious mistake if you have any dealings with him. Any day he is likely to be arrested on the charge of murder, for there is evidence that he conspired in the a.s.sa.s.sination of my partner.
It even seems possible that he fired the fatal shot. That"s the kind of a chap he is."
"Mr. Kensington," said Frank, with grim calmness, "this man, Morgan, has done his level best in trying to blackmail me out of one of my mines.
This murder charge he talks about he has trumped up in hopes to frighten me; but I fancy he has found by this time that I am not so easily frightened. I can prove that he employed ruffians to jump my claim--to seize these new mines. We were forced to defend it with firearms. Morgan himself tried to have me treacherously shot, but he was not the kind of a man to deal with the ruffians he had employed, and he fell into a trap, from which he has now somehow escaped. He was captured and carried off by those same ruffians of his, whose object it was to hold him until he should pay a handsome sum for his liberty. Either he has managed to escape or he has paid the money demanded by those rascals."
Morgan laughed.
"It is not possible, Mr. Kensington, that you will believe such a ridiculous story. I give you my word--the word of a gentleman and a man of business and honor--that the whole thing is a fabrication."
"Morgan," said Frank, "I propose to make this statement public just as you have heard it from my lips. If it is not true, you can have me arrested immediately for criminal libel. I dare you to have me arrested!
If you do, I shall prove every word of what I have just said and show you up as the black-hearted rascal you really are. Instead of having me arrested, it is more than likely that you will employ some ruffian to shoot at my back. I"ll guarantee you will never try it yourself. If I were to step out here now and make a similar charge against Mr.
Kensington, what would be the result?"
"By thunder!" burst from Kensington, "I"d shoot you on sight!"
"Exactly," nodded Frank. "And so would Macklyn Morgan if the statement were false and if he dared."
Morgan snapped his fingers.
"I consider you of too little consequence to resort to any such method.
I am not a man who shoots; I"m a man who crushes. Frank Merriwell, you may fancy you have the best of me, but I tell you now that I will crush you like an eggsh.e.l.l."
As he said this his usually mild and benevolent face was transformed until it took on a fierce and vengeful look, which fully betrayed his true character. Quickly lifting his hand, Merry pointed an accusing finger straight at Morgan"s face.
"Look at him, Mr. Kensington!" he directed. "Now you see him as he is beneath the surface. This is the real Macklyn Morgan. Ordinarily he is a wolf in sheep"s clothing, and it is only the clothing he reveals to those with whom he has dealings."
Instantly the look vanished from Morgan"s face, and in its place there returned the mild, hypocritical smile he sometimes wore.
"I acknowledge that my indignation was aroused," he said. "And I know it was foolish of me. I have said all I care to. I think Mr. Kensington will have a care about making any negotiations with you, Merriwell. Good day, Mr. Kensington."
Bowing to Frank"s companion, Morgan coolly walked away and left the room.
CHAPTER XXIV.
WHAT HAPPENED TO d.i.c.k.
Just at dusk a horse came galloping madly up toward the front of the hotel, bearing on its back an excited, frightened, pale-faced girl. It was Felicia. Brad Buckhart happened to be leaving the hotel as the girl pulled up her sweaty horse.
"Oh, Brad!" she cried, and her voice was filled with the greatest agitation and distress.
The Texan made a bound down the steps.
"What is it, Felicia?" he asked. "Whatever is the matter? My pard--he went out to ride with you! Where is he now?"
"Oh, where is he? Oh, where is he?" cried Felicia.
"You don"t know? Is that what you mean? Oh, say, Felicia, don"t tell me anything has happened to my pard!"
"Brad! Brad!" she gasped, swaying in her saddle, "a strange thing has happened. I can"t account for it."
In a moment he lifted her down in his strong arms and supported her, as he tumultuously poured questions upon her.
"What"s this strange thing, Felicia? What has happened? Where is d.i.c.k?
Tell me, quick!"
"Oh, I wish you could tell me!" she retorted.
"He went out with you?"