Burt L. Standish

“ That dog of a gringo, Frank Merriwell, caused it all! He thinks me dead and out of his path forever. I am alive, and I swear to make Merriwell suffer even as I have suffered! I'll not kill him at one blow, but I'll rob him of all he holds dear, his sweetheart, his beauty, his strength, his wealth, and then I will find a way to destroy him at last!
"This is the oath of Porfias del Norte!" ”

“ Señor Merriwell shall find death creeping at his heels day and night. He shall know it is I, Felipe Jalisco, who threatens him with destruction; but I will take care to keep beyond his reach. He shall know that the only way to escape the peril that follows him is to pay me all I ask."
"We'll have to hold him down, Hagan," whispered Jerome. "The little fool is liable to murder Merriwell and ruin everything." ”

“ You American women love wealth and power. Señorita, all the vast wealth that is coming to me will I place at your feet. Yours shall be all the power it can command. As my wife you shall some day be admired and envied by all women."
"Now I know you are deranged!" she declared, also rising. "Any man in his right mind could not think to win the love of a woman after such a fashion. Porfias del Norte, that wound has made you a madman!" ”

“ Neither Del Norte nor Lazaro is dead. Both live in one, and that One pens these lines. I am Del Norte and I am Lazaro. I am likewise the avenger of both. My one object in life is to make you suffer as Del Norte suffered before he escaped from his living tomb, coming forth an old man with snow-white hair. It is my object to make you face the torture of fire here on earth, even as Lazaro faced it. ”

“ In the mist of the American Falls a gorgeous rainbow could be seen.
"I see it," said Frank; but at that moment his eyes were following the strange old man in the black cloak, who had left the car with them and was walking toward the very brink of Horseshoe Falls, leaning heavily on his crooked cane and seeming quite feeble. [Pg 288]
"I was wrong about him," thought Merry. "He is interested in the falls—he is fascinated by them." ”

“ Then I will escape, and no power may stop me. Fool of a gringo, you must give me my own! I will leave you in possession of the mine, but you must pay me one-half of all the money you make from it. It is the only thing that will save you. Señor Hagan asked for a big sum all at once, as he thought thus to get his share right away. I would have had him accept half the profit. Swear now that I shall have it! Swear you will pay——"
"Not a cent!" answered Merry grimly. "You have taken the wrong method of getting anything from a Merriwell. Not a cent shall you ever have!"
Felipe swore in Spanish. ”

“ I choose to stand. I shall not remain long, but I came to give you news that will cheer your heart. Señor Hagan says he has told you of the sudden illness of Señor Watson Scott and of the accident which happened to Señor Warren Hatch. Thus you see, Felipe, already two of the great men who were going to build Frank Merriwell's railroad in Sonora are flat on their backs, and why both of them are not dead is more than I can understand. Señor Scott must have a constitution like iron, for he drank all the coffee in which I dropped a powder that should have ended his life. ”

“ The ease of their movements was admired by many.
"Isn't it delightful, Frank?" enthusiastically whispered one of the ghosts; and her cowboy partner answered:
"It's all the more delightful being unexpected and unplanned, Inza. I feel to-night as if I hadn't a care in the world."
"Why have you any great cares to worry you now?" she asked. "All your great business projects are coming out right, and the man who could make you trouble has paid the penalty of his villainy. He'll never interfere with you again." ”

“ The trolley car from Buffalo, bearing Frank Merriwell and his friends, was approaching Niagara Falls. The entire party was bubbling with that enthusiasm and eagerness felt by all "sightseers" who find themselves drawing near to this great natural marvel of America. Eagerly they peered from the car windows in their desire to obtain the first glimpse of the falls.
"I can see some mising rist—that is, some rising mist," spluttered Harry Rattleton.
"Get off my pet corn!" growled Bruce Browning, jerking Harry back into his seat, from which he had partly risen. ”

“ Hodge and Morgan were the silent ones, but there was a light of eagerness in their eyes, and Dade's thin cheeks were flushed.
The car entered the streets of Niagara, swung round a curve, slipped into a huge, covered building and stopped.
"All out," called the conductor.
"Here we are!" said Merry.
"What'll we do now? What'll we do now?" eagerly asked Inza, grasping his arm.
"The very best thing to do is to take a Belt Line observation car, which will carry us over to the Canadian side and round the gorge, giving us a chance to stop off wherever we like." ”

“ Men will die or flee from it in terror. All Merriwell attempts shall fail. In the end I will mock him and bring him to a terrible death."
Barely had Lazaro spoken these boastful words when the door fell with a crash, and Frank Merriwell himself, with his friends behind him, stood in the doorway. He had cast aside the wig and a part of his disguise, and the startled trio of rascals recognized him before he spoke.
"Lazaro," he cried, "your tongue has betrayed you, and your vile plotting is done. Even if Scott and Hatch live, you'll get twenty years, at the very least. ”

“ Oh, I fooled him, Felipe. I left him to wonder where I had gone."
"Lazaro followed you here."
"Because I did not get my eye on Lazaro, as I did on Frank Merriwell. Don't worry, boy; he'll never find ye through me." [Pg 234]
"If he came here, he'd not get away alive!" hissed Felipe.
"Make no mistake about him, me lad; he can fight with the best of them. Some friends of his have arrived in town, and I think they're taking up the most of his attention now. It's planning some sort of a trip they are."
"I can't stay here in this place much longer, Señor Hagan. I shall go mad!" ”

“ Del Norte laughed softly.
"You have yet much to learn of me. In this game I hold the winning cards. In my employ is an Indian who knows where in these mountains we may hide so securely that a thousand men cannot find us. In one of these hiding places I shall keep you secure. If your gringo lover comes, I'll meet him. I'll fight him to the death. One of us will conquer, and no man ever triumphed over one in whose blood was the spirit of old Guerrero. ”

“ If we become satisfied that the railroad is a loser, we'll again work the stock market, and, by certain manipulations, boost the price of Central Sonora to the highest possible point. When we are satisfied that we have it up to the top notch, we'll dump every dollar's worth of stock in our possession, pocket our profits, and smile as we see Central Sonora slump and go to the dogs. ”

“ He was at Frank again in a twinkling, but once more the young American met and baffled him.
Out of the shadows stalked Red Ben, holding his rifle in both hands and standing near as if ready to use it in a twinkling. The moonlight fell full on his dusky face, showing there an expression of savage satisfaction in the battle he was witnessing.
"Best man shall have gal," he muttered. "Ben he see fair play. ”

“ He longed to hasten after the stranger, but felt Inza clinging to him in weakness, which prevented such a move.
And now their friends, having discovered for the first time that something was wrong, came hurrying to the spot, asking many questions.
It was some time before Inza recovered, but in the end she flung off her weakness with a sudden show of resolution, forced a laugh, and declared that she was all right.
"Where is the chundering old bump—I mean the blundering old chump?" spluttered Harry Rattleton. "Didn't stop to say a word? Well, somebody ought to say something to him! ”

“ Told me what a howling chump I was to plug away on a newspaper on space. Offered to steer me right to coin money the way he was doing. I tell you, Merry, it was tempting. There he was rolling in boodle and living on the fat of the land, while I had a three-fifty hall bedroom and was eating round at cheap restaurants. Some weeks I made as much as twenty-five, and then I was rich; but perhaps the very next week it would be seven or eight, and before long I was poor again. Reporting on space is a mighty hard mill to go through; but a man learns something at it."
"Go on about Morgan," urged Frank. ”

“ Felipe heard them slowly and laboriously fumbling their way up the dark stairs, recognized the sound of Spooner's cane, and flung open the door of his room that the light of his oil lamp might aid them.
"Bless you, boy!" panted old Spooner. "These stairs are dark—heathenishly dark."
"I see to-night you have with you a friend, señor,"' observed the Mexican boy.
"Yes, poor fellow. I have seen him much on the streets. He stays with me frequently. He is deaf and dumb." ”

“ A man shuffled along the dark corridor and stared at Frank and Dick with suspicious, resentful eyes. He was low-browed, sullen, and vicious in appearance; just such a man as one would not care to meet alone on a dark street late at night.
From another room came the sound of maudlin singing, and in still another a man was swearing horribly.
Merry grasped Dick's arm.
"Haven't you made a mistake?" he asked.
"A mistake? Why——"
"Dade Morgan can't be stopping in a place like this." ”

“ Why, it's a good thing for a fellow to get a taste of genuine hard luck. It softens him, mellows him, and makes him more sympathetic for other unfortunates—that is, if he's made of the right stuff. Let a chap slip through the world without ever encountering misfortune and he cannot sympathize with those who have to struggle hard to keep their heads above the surface. Besides that, it stiffens and braces the right sort of a fellow to overcome misfortune and rise in the world through his own efforts. I know, Morgan, for I've seen my share of bad luck. ”

“ Have you yet to learn a Del Norte will risk anything to secure the woman he loves?"
She fought against the great terror that threatened to overcome her and rob her of consciousness once more.
"You must be deranged!" she said. "You cannot realize what your act will bring about. It is plain you do not yet know Frank Merriwell. If you did you would not fancy you could do this thing and escape the punishment he will surely bring upon you. Why, he will find you and make you suffer, even though he had to employ a hundred men and rake over every inch of these mountains. ”

“ Usually your bull is frightened and runs around seeking some avenue of escape from the torturers who pursue him, assailing him with their banderillos. At last he may be goaded and driven to a sort of desperate resistance. When he turns on his tormentors they permit him to gore the wretched old horses which have been provided as a sacrifice to glut the thirst of the populace for the sight of blood. ”

“ Lazaro paused at the door.
"If you found it convenient to bring along one of your associates in this railroad deal, say Señor Hatch or Señor Bragg, I should be glad."
"Not likely I can. It is barely possible I might bring Merriwell."
"As I understand, he is too young, Señor Scott. I had rather meet men older and wiser. I cannot tell why, but the youth of Señor Merriwell has somehow prejudiced me against him." ”

“ You're a fiend, and you ought to die! I am commanded to kill you! I must do it!"
The Mexican did not dare turn his back on the raving man. Again he started away, but this time he moved backward, keeping his eyes on Ridgeway, who came creeping after him, crouching a little and seeming ready to spring.
Suddenly Ridgeway leaped. His arms shot out and his fingers closed on Del Norte's neck.
"I must kill you!" he yelled. "I am the one chosen to do it! Your time has come!"
The torch fell to the floor and lay there, spluttering and flaring. ”

“ Frank realized that he was in a trap. Were he to fire at Del Norte it was almost certain the hidden redskin would shoot from cover. In his eagerness he had stepped into a bad snare. His wits worked swiftly to [Pg 75] discover a manner in which he might extricate himself.
"Del Norte," he quickly said, "listen to me. We have met here face to face, and we are deadly enemies. The end of our enmity must be destruction for one of us. There can be no other end."
"You are the one, Señor Merriwell," declared Del Norte. ”

“ Shortly after Hagan left, Felipe heard the door of old Spooner's room open and close, following which there was a faltering, shuffling step on the stairs and the thump, thump, thump of a cane, growing fainter until it could be heard no longer.
"The old man has gone out to beg," thought Jalisco. ”

“ It's plain you reckon all women on the standard of such women as you have known. Only women of savage races transfer their affection from dead lovers to their slayers. But you do not yet comprehend the fearful task before you. Your conceit is colossal. In single combat with Frank Merriwell you would not have one chance in a thousand. ”

“ People cannot resist the fascination of the rushing water. Many times no real reason can be given for these acts of self-destruction. You know there are moments when every human brain falters and seems touched by the fleeting finger of insanity. People who stand on great heights often feel an almost irresistible longing to fling themselves down. Here they are attacked by a mad longing to cast themselves into the clutch of the rapids."
"Oh!" exclaimed Elsie, pale to the lips. "Let me get away—farther away!"
Inza offered assistance, but Elsie forced a laugh and declared she was all right. ”

“ I know you have again set the police on my trail, but I laugh at them and defy them all, even as I laugh at and defy you. I want you to feel the fear of torture and death; I want you to know it is coming and that you cannot escape, and, therefore, I write this. Be constantly on your guard, but know that all your precautions cannot save you. You are doomed!
"The Avenger."
"What is it, Merry?" asked Hodge, seeing Frank frowning over it.
"Nothing but ridiculous nonsense," was Merriwell's smiling answer, as he thrust the paper into his pocket. "Let's get the ladies and have dinner." ”

“ Why, we can die like dogs! There is nothing else for it. You're sure there is no other way out of this cave?"
"No other way. Perhaps we can dig out."
"Not in a thousand years! What have we to dig with—our bare hands?"
"I have my knife—the knife with which I was going to cut out the tongue of that cursed gringo, Merriwell! Why didn't I do it?"
"You know why. Red Ben went back on us, may the fiends take the redskin cur! He helped Merriwell get away with the girl. When Sears tried to follow the Indian shot him, and he's buried out there somewhere beneath that landslide. ”

“ Have you an idea, Merry?"
"Never yet have I seen but two men with such eyes," declared Merriwell. "One man is dead. The other man, Alvarez Lazaro, claims to be Del Norte's avenger. I thought him dead, but it must be that he escaped from the burning building on the East Side. How he escaped I cannot tell; but, as it was not Del [Pg 280] Norte who peered through the transom, it must have been Lazaro."
"Look out for him, Frank," urged Starbright. "I saw murder in those eyes."
"I'll have the police raking the city for him without delay," said Merry. "Let's go directly to police headquarters." ”

“ Thus you led me [Pg 207] to Felipe Jalisco. To-night I strike my first blow at Frank Merriwell."
"How?"
"In my own way. First I will ruin his scheme to build a railroad in Sonora. For that purpose the first blow shall be made this night."
"You're like Porfias del Norte turned into his own father!" declared Hagan. "When you talk you are him to the life, only that you are an old man with a furrowed face and snow-white hair. He was in the very flush of vigorous youth."
A sigh escaped Lazaro's lips, and that sigh was precisely like many a one Hagan had heard Del Norte heave. ”

“ The insolence of the fellow in talking to Frank in such a manner was felt by Hatch, who hastened to check him. [Pg 160]
"Mr. Merriwell is no softie!" he exclaimed, seeming to feel that Frank needed defending. "He was a famous athlete at Yale College. He made a great reputation as a baseball and football player."
"Baseball—paugh!" cried Carlos. "I have seen the senseless sport you call baseball. Sport! There is no sport in it. It is tame. Football is better, but that is not much. For real sport, Señor Merriwell, you should see a Mexican bullfight." ”

“ In the old days at Yale, Dade had been for a time Frank's bitterest enemy, having been taught from early boyhood by his uncle and guardian to loathe the very name of Merriwell; but in the end Merry's manliness, bravery, generosity, and nobility had conquered Morgan's hatred and had finally made the fellow Frank's friend.
Starbright was right in saying Dade Morgan was proud and high-strung. He was not the fellow to long [Pg 266] endure poverty and humiliation without doing something desperate. ”

“ You are behind this business. Having failed in your other project, through the death of Del Norte, your fertile brain has originated this daring, yet foolish, scheme. Do you think you are dealing with children? Did you fancy you could frighten or browbeat me into paying you money before I had thoroughly investigated this Jalisco business and sifted it to the bottom? Why, you know that were you in my place you would not give up a dollar on such a demand. Take him away, Hagan, and be quick about it, or I swear I'll telephone the police and have you both arrested for attempted fraud! ”

“ Thus, you can see, we will not have to put up a dollar of our own money; but we will build the railroad with the money of the general public, which has been deposited at the bank from which we secure it."
"I see," nodded Frank, his eyes shining queerly. "It's a fine little scheme you have, Mr. Jerome!"
"I am letting you into the secret methods of capitalists who build railroads and organize great business projects without using a dollar of their own [Pg 114] money," said Jerome. "Having secured our money, we will proceed to put our railroad through." ”

“ There was deepest pathos and despair in the final words.
"Oh, no, Felipe!" exclaimed Frank.
"For what shall I live now?"
"For your father and mother."
"I have neither."
"For your friends."
"I have none."
"Then let me be your friend," argued Merry. "I'll [Pg 251] try to find something that shall make life worth living for you."
"Enough trouble I have been to you already. You save my life! You send me here! I am not in the free ward; I am where it costs. I ask who pay. They tell me Señor Merriwell pay for everything. Then I think and think a long time. ”