Frank Merriwell's Alarm Part 47

"Well, I am sure you have made a mistake with Miss Isban. I could see her deep anger and hatred for you in her eyes. She would like to strangle you this minute."

"I haven't a doubt of it," coolly smiled Frank, his manner showing not the least concern.

"She will hate and despise you as long as she lives."

"If so, it will make little difference to me."

Up to this time Jack had not dreamed that Frank could be anything but courteous and bending to a lady, and now the Southerner saw there was a turn to his friend's character that he had not suspected.

Merriwell had not been at all brutal in his manner, but his words had touched Isa Isban like blows of a whip. They had stung her and stirred her blood, although they were spoken in a way that showed the natural polish and training of their author.

In truth the girl longed to fly at Frank Merriwell's throat. She felt that she could strike him in the face with her hands and feel the keenest delight in doing so.

As she turned toward him again, there came a sharp knock on the door.

CHAPTER XXIII.

A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

The old man looked startled, and the girl showed signs of alarm.

"Quick, Drew!" she whispered. "Is the door fastened?"

"Yes!" quavered the old man.

"My revolver--where is it?"

"On the shelf--where you placed it."

With a spring that reminded the boys of the leap of a young pantheress, she reached the shelf and s.n.a.t.c.hed a gleaming pistol from it. Then she faced the door again, the weapon half raised.

The boys were on their feet.

"Land ob wartermillions!" chattered Toots, his eyes rolling. "Looks lek dar am gwan teh be a rucshun fo' suah!"

Then he looked around for some place of concealment.

"What is it?" asked Frank. "Is there danger?"

"To me--yes," nodded Isa. "But you do not care! I expect no aid from you, sir."

"Who is at the door?"

"It may be Bill Higgins, the sheriff!"

"Come to arrest you?"

"Perhaps."

"He can't do it!" hissed Diamond, as he caught up a heavy chair and held it poised. "We won't let him!"

The girl actually laughed.

"At least, I have one champion," she said.

"To the death!" Diamond heroically declared.

The knock was repeated, and this time it was given in a peculiar manner, as if it were a special signal.

An expression of relief came to the faces of the old man and the girl, but they seemed very much surprised.

"Who can it be?" Isa asked, doubtingly.

"It is the secret signal," said the man with the gray hair.

"That is true, but who should come here to give the signal?"

"It must be all right."

"Wait. I will go into the back room. If it is repeated, open the door.

Should it be an enemy or enemies, give me time to get away. That's all. Hold them from rus.h.i.+ng into the back room."

"We will do that," declared Diamond.

In a moment Isa disappeared.

The knock was given for the third time, and the old man approached the door, which he slowly and deliberately opened.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he asked.

The reply was m.u.f.fled and indistinct, but something like an exclamation of relief escaped the man, and he flung the door wide open.

Into the room walked a young man with a smooth-shaved face and a swaggering air.

"h.e.l.lo, Drew!" he called, and then he stopped and stared at the boys.

"I didn't know you had visitors," he said.

"So it's you, Kent--so it's you!" exclaimed the old man, with relief.

"I didn't know--I reckoned it might be somebody else."

"You knew I was coming."

"Yes; but I didn't 'low you'd get here so soon. It's a long distance to Carson, and----"

"Never mind that," quickly spoke the man, interrupting Drew, as if he feared he would say something it were better the boys did not hear.