Burt L. Standish

“ At first, Hodge had believed Frank weak and lacking spirit, but slowly his eyes were opened and he finally saw Merry in the true light. Then he realized that his lenient foe was the possessor of moral and physical courage, and was so far his superior in every way that he felt small and miserable and mean and contemptible by contrast. For a time, being proud and obstinate, Bart continued to try to fight on as Frank’s enemy, but he was forced to surrender at last, and he became Merry’s firmest friend, ready in a moment to sacrifice life for him. ”

“ How dare you talk to me in such a way of Inza Burrage? I have known her since she was a girl in short dresses, and she is as pure as the stars. Man, you cannot speak of her thus before me! You are my friend—at least, you have been. I will not listen to such words from the lips of anybody. She is not treacherous, and she does not take delight in deceiving men.”
Dick Starbright was appalled by the terrible earnestness of Frank Merriwell. He sat there, staring up at Merry in wonderment, while in his heart he was saying:
“You told me you did not care for her, but you love her—you love her! ”

“ The youth sprang back into Merry’s arms, and the hand of the young Yale athlete closed on the revolver.
The nerve-broken young gambler was like a helpless child in the hands of Merriwell. With ease Frank took away the deadly revolver.
When the two men would have clutched the would-be suicide, Frank waved them back with the gleaming weapon, supporting the panting lad on his shoulder.
“Hands off!” he cried, his voice clear and steady, yet not loud. “Aren’t you satisfied with what you have brought the poor devil to? You shall not touch him!” ”

“ Frank knew this great city had swamped and overwhelmed thousands of ambitious lads who came rushing to it fresh from the country, spurred by ambition and lured by visions of triumphs and glories. He knew there was that in New York which must tempt the weak and wavering, and lead them to disappointment and failure. But he also knew that the steadfast and bold, who possessed ability above the average of their fellow men, could here find opportunities rarely met with elsewhere. ”

“ But who would believe me if I said so?”
“I believe you,” declared Frank Merriwell, in a way that gave the other a strange thrill.
“But you—what can you do? You are a stranger to me.”
“Yes, I am a stranger to you; but by the eternal Heavens! I am not going to see a human life go to wreck on the rocks if I can help it!” ”

“ And now, thinking of all that he had done, Frank could see that he had been urged on by a strange, subtle influence that remained always with him—the influence of the dark-eyed girl who had given him her maiden kiss of love over the gate that moonlight night in Fardale. It is true that man seldom makes much of himself, seldom mounts to great heights unless behind him is the influence of a woman. ”

“ For truly in his short life no other man had ever reached the height of absolute manhood and popularity attained by Frank Merriwell. Not that others had not equaled him, but never had their names and fame spread abroad like his. From one end of the United States to the other, from East to West, the name Frank Merriwell was a synonym of all that was noble and grand and desirable in a manly way. ”

“ He may without woman’s influence become a miser, a Shylock, a money magnate, and a wrecker of human lives; but he seldom becomes noble, honored, loved, and cherished in the hearts of his fellow men unless behind him is the influence of a good, true woman urging him on to the splendid deeds which uplift him.
At times Merry had seemed to realize the presence of that subtle influence, and then had risen vague visions of the many girls he had known, with Elsie and Inza the most prominent. ”

“ Dick was thinking of Inza as she had appeared to him once, and as she appeared to him now.
“They’re all alike!” he thought bitterly. “Rosalind was like Inza in many ways, and she threw me over for Dade Morgan. When she found out what a scoundrel Morgan was she tried to make up with me, but I was not quite so big a chump as she imagined. I think Inza is even worse than Rose, for she has deceived Frank right along. He is so honest and square himself that he never suspects others of deception. It’s useless to try to convince him, for he believes in that girl implicitly. ”

“ As they entered the brilliantly lighted room and followed the waiter who preceded them to a table, Frank suddenly caught a full-length reflection of his companion in a mirror. All in a twinkling he knew she was wondrously beautiful and striking in appearance. Before that he had known she was pretty, even beautiful, but not till that moment had he realized the full extent of her beauty. She had a carriage that was graceful and queenly, a figure that Venus herself might envy, a finely shaped head, an abundance of dark hair and a complexion that all the arts of make-up could not imitate. ”

“ When the Celestial had been removed and the excitement was over, Merry flung himself on a chair, laughing outright.
“I fail to see what you are laughing about,” cried Starbright, who was striding up and down the floor.
“Well, if things to laugh about have not happened this night, they never did!” declared Frank.
“Then you see things in quite a different light from what I do.”
“It all depends on the mood a man is in how he looks at things, my boy,” said Merry. “In certain moods a tragedy may seem like a comedy.”
“Look here, Merriwell,” said Dick, stopping where he could face Frank squarely. ”

“ In his bronzed cheeks there was a wild flush, while his eyes gleamed with a burning light. Inza was alarmed, but she did not show it.
“You had better withdraw your oath,” she calmly said; “for I shall never be yours. You have fancied something that is quite impossible.”
“You must—you shall!” he cried. “I will not give you up to Frank Merriwell! He shall not have you! Inza, when my grandfather dies I shall be a rich man. ”

“ Diamond was right. The fear of being regarded as “soft” makes moral cowards of the most of us. We hesitate to extend a helping hand to a brother in distress for fear the world will look on, laugh, and dub us “silly.” And repeated refusals to offer aid renders us callous and hard and unfeeling, so that we give little heed to distress and do not seem to care when we see a human soul, like a disabled vessel, drifting down the stream of life to the cataract of destruction. ”

“ Swift, I would not marry you if you had all the wealth of Rockefeller!”
“I swear you shall never marry him! I am desperate, Inza! Think of your brother! With a word, I can send him to prison!”
“And prove yourself a dastard!”
“A man in love will do anything to win the object of his passions. If you would save your brother, you must marry me!” ”

“ The darkness hid the flush that rushed to Billy Madison’s face.
“I couldn’t get what I need any other way than to win it where I lost it,” he declared huskily.
Then Frank knew that Madison was in a desperate strait, and he pitied the fellow.
“You shall not go back into that shark’s hole to-night,” he asserted, keeping hold of Billy’s arm. “We’ll talk it over. How much are you behind, man?”
“Nearly a thousand dollars,” answered the yellow-haired youth, all his false buoyancy gone now.
“No more than that?” asked Frank, with apparent relief.
“It’s as bad as ten times the sum. I can’t make it up.” ”

“ Inza gave Frank a grateful look and soon found an opportunity to whisper to him:
“I knew you could do him good. You always have a way of putting new life and courage into anyone.”
He smiled at her.
“You should hear the wonderful things Inza has been telling me about you, Merriwell,” said Walter. “Why, if she has not been romancing, you are the most wonderful fellow in the whole world.”
“Not that,” declared Merry.
“But you are a wonderful athlete, and your fame has spread over the country. ”

“ She’s a flirt! She takes delight in deceiving men! I believe she has deceived you, just as she did me! Oh, yes! she’s handsome, but she’s fickle. I know what I’m talking about, Merriwell! Don’t try to stop me! I know you’ll say I’m crazy, but I’m not! I have seen something with my own eyes that settles everything between that girl and myself! I am done with her, Frank Merriwell—done with her forever!”
Then Frank gripped the gigantic Andover man, and, despite Starbright’s remarkable strength, quickly sat him down on a chair. ”

“ Dick did not feel like making an explanation just then.
“Business—er—business, you know,” he faltered.
“Well, a square feed will do you good, now that you are away from the training-table. Oh, that training-table! It gives every man a great appetite.”
But Starbright had no appetite.
“We’ll let you blow us at another time, Jack,” smiled Frank. “I don’t feel like stuffing myself to-night.”
“You never feel like stuffing yourself,” said the Virginian resentfully. “Ever since I can remember, you have been eating coarse bread, dodging pastry, eschewing pork and veal, and living like a dyspeptic.” ”

“ But I am not going to make a scene here, Canfield. I am sorry for you, but you are not nearly as much to blame as the wolves who hold office in this city and take your hush-money, for which they give you protection. Some day they will hear the outcry of the indignant people; they will find they are cornered; they will realize that they can protect you no longer with safety to themselves, and then they will stand back and let the hand of outraged virtue fall on you. In your extremity you need not look for aid to those men in high places—those men whose pockets you have lined with gold. ”

“ Merry asked.
“Not on your life!” cried Diamond, with a look of repugnance.
“Then you are all right. When a fellow gets so he feels that he must have a drink the first thing in the morning he is on the road to a drunkard’s grave. I’m glad to hear you say you do not want anything.”
“But I do want something,” groaned Jack.
“What is it?” Frank asked, in apprehension.
“I want to drink about a barrel of good cold water. I’d like to be backed up to a watering-trough.” ”

“ Jack told himself, “she is much like Juliet, only she lacks a certain refinement Juliet possesses.”
At the same time Frank was thinking:
“How much like Inza she is! I don’t think I ever noticed it before; but she lacks a certain subtle charm that Inza possesses—something that seems to belong to Inza alone.”
And Hilda was thinking:
“Jack Diamond is handsome, but he cannot compare with Frank Merriwell. Frank is the handsomest fellow in all the world, and in the future, as in the past, he’ll always be my hero.” ”

“ The time has come when somebody must sound the warning note and bring the young men and the boys of the land to a realizing sense of the danger that threatens.”
“That is sound truth and common sense!” cried Walter, “and you, Frank Merriwell, are just the one to do the work. Why don’t you take it up?”
“I have thought of it,” confessed Merry.
“Oh, what a grand thing that would be!” cried Inza.
“Grand, indeed!” echoed her brother. “Think of devoting a life to the improvement and elevation of humanity! Why don’t you do it, man? ”

“ Keep a stiff backbone! Be a man!”
The youth turned on him fiercely, his somewhat weak chin quivering.
“That’s all right for you to say!” he spoke, in a shaking voice—a voice that struck straight to Frank Merriwell’s heart. “What do you care for me now! You brought me here, and——”
“You wanted to come. Don’t squeal like a sick baby!”
“You brought me here,” repeated the youth, “and I’ve lost a fortune in this accursed place! I’m ruined! It’s worse than that! I’m a criminal, for I’ve gambled away thousands that did not belong to me! It will kill my poor mother!” ”

“ It is our business—it is your business, my business, everybody’s business! It is our duty to stretch forth a hand to succor and save the unfortunate creature if it is in our power to do so.
Twice this eventful night the hand of Frank Merriwell had been stretched out, each time to men who were strangers to him, for Madison, like Collins, could not be regarded as anything more. ”

“ Then Frank struggled with sudden desperation to set himself free and find the girl he now knew he loved. He wondered for one moment if his foot and ankle had been crushed, but only for that one moment did he think of himself.
“Inza!” he gasped. “Where are you? I pray she has not been killed—she, my own sweetheart!”
A man with an ax began to smash furiously with it to break a way to freedom. It was Roy Swift, and he seemed frantic with terror. In his furious haste to escape from the wreck he several times came near hitting Frank on the head with the ax.
“Hold on, Swift!” cried Merry. ”

“ In the home of old Enos Dugan on that lonely island of Grand Lake was a handsome rosewood piano of the very best make, and the music old Dugan’s daughter could conjure from the instrument was the wonder and comment from Vanceborough to Houlton. She could play wild dance tunes that set the feet of all hearers to shuffling, or she could draw from the polished box sad, sweet melodies which brought the unbidden tear welling to the eye. Then, again, she could make the piano thunder and roar with the wild music of Wagner till all the forest rumbled and boomed and shuddered with the sound. ”

“ At that moment, with a snarling cry, a man who had been lingering in front of Shanley’s launched himself on Jones, whom he clutched by the throat.
Frank had seen the figure dart forward and spring, and he swung Hilda out of the way of harm.
“You!” cried the assailant, as he grasped Jones’ throat. “You are the worst one of them all! You would ruin her body and soul! But your time has come!”
“It’s Tom Stevens!” gasped Hilda.
It was the maniac who had twice attacked Merry, and he was handling Jones roughly just then.
“Let go, you fool!” gasped the man who had been attacked. ”

“ The man who bolts his food is digging his own grave.”
“Hear, hear!” cried Diamond. “A lecture on diet by the great expert, Frank Merriwell! Look at him! Behold him! He is a perfect man, and all because he never ate improper food. Go thou and do likewise.”
Frank laughed a little.
“You are putting it pretty strong,” he said. “Merely eating the proper food will not make any man an athlete or give him perfect health. He must conform to other rules and regulations; he must take proper exercise, and he must not disregard the natural laws of health. ”

“ He seemed to fancy Merry must cave in, but Frank quietly said:
“Just what I thought before.”
“Why, she——”
“She is perfectly square and upright. She has deceived nobody. She never deceived me in all her life, and I refuse to believe any wrong of her. I have perfect and absolute confidence in Inza Burrage.”
Again Starbright inwardly exclaimed:
“You love her—you love her! If you did not, you would not have such perfect confidence in her. Perfect love gives perfect confidence. You cannot fool me, Merriwell.” ”