“ The youth with the swarthy face looked at Frank, and then bowed gravely.
“I am John Swiftwing,” he acknowledged; “and I remember you. You are a Yale man, and your name is Merriwell.”
Frank held out his hand.
“Shake, Swiftwing!” he cried. “I am delighted to see you, although you nearly killed me once on a tackle. Without question, you are the fiercest tackler and the best football player Carlisle has on her team. If she had ten more men like you, she’d wipe up the earth with every Eastern college.”
A gleam shot from the eyes of the other, and he accepted Frank’s hand. ”

“ With a last mad burst of strength he broke the girl’s hold, and then they went mounting toward the surface.
Up, up, up from the dark blue shadows, which now seemed filled with horrible shapes, they mounted. Out from those shadows reached long, crooked arms with hands that tried to clutch them and drag them down again.
For the first time in his life Frank felt like shrieking with fear. A great horror was on him, and it made him frantic.
He saw bubble eyes that peered and glared at him from all sides, and shapeless forms hovered all around.
With all his strength he strove to reach the surface. ”

“ Although Inza has developed into a young lady, she still has many of her girlish ways. She is quick and impulsive, easy to take offense and ready to forgive. It is hard to compare two girls who are so dissimilar.”
“Of course I know which one you admire most,” said Bart, with something like the ghost of a smile on his dark face; “and I am quite willing that you should. There is something about Effie Random’s blue eyes and subdued manner that captivates me.”
“Here! here! here!” cried Frank, laughingly. “Is it possible you are falling in love again, Hodge? Be careful! ”

“ An instant later Indian Charlie was stretched upon the veranda.
“I beg your pardon for doing such a thing in your presence, ladies,” came quietly from Merriwell’s lips; “but I was forced into it. As he may make further trouble I beg you to retire.”
“No!” palpitated Inza. “I shall stay here.”
“Me, too,” said Miss Abigail. “Goodness sakes! what dreadful things men are!”
“Shall I sit on him and hold him down, Frank?” yawned Browning, who did not seem in the least disturbed.
“No, let him alone. He——”
With a leap like a wild creature the man came to his feet. There was a demon in his eyes. ”

“ Merry instantly let go of Dan Carver’s wrist, saying:
“I thank you, sir.”
The Indian who had been knocked down had regained his feet by this time. He paused, swaying a bit unsteadily, and glared in a drunken way at Inza and her rescuer, then he turned and staggered away, disappearing around the station.
“The horrid beast!” exclaimed Miss Abigail, who had lifted her parasol, as if to strike him, while she stiffly stood her ground. “Indians are not good for anything anyway. You never can make anything decent out of them, no matter how hard you try.” ”

“ All this was very amusing to the cowboys, who shouted with mirth.
“Wal, if I don’t believe I kin ride that critter!” cried Ephraim Gallup, wagging his head. “I’ve rid some purty tough nuts in my day.”
“Better not try it,” warned Frank.
That was just enough to start the Yankee boy.
“By gum! I will try it!” he shouted, and made a rush for the animal.
The deceptive creature stood quite still while Ephraim jumped up and swung one leg over its back, and then, before the Vermonter could straighten up in the saddle, the broncho started with wild and eccentric leaps to scoot around through the party. ”

“ I have not seen her in a long time, and I have seen many other girls, for some of whom I have had more than a passing fancy.”
“It is certain that some of them have had more than a passing fancy for you, Frank,” laughed Harry.
Merriwell did not smile.
“Harry,” he said, gravely, “my thoughts are now of Inza alone. All other girls are forgotten. She always had the utmost confidence in me. She trusted me, and she believed I could do anything. If she knew I were in San Francisco she would find a way to appeal to me for aid. ”

“ Impulsively Inza held out her gloved hand.
“Mr. Swiftwing,” she said, “I am awfully glad to know you, and, oh! I want to thank you so much for what you just did! That—that drunken—man nearly scared me to death.”
“Why didn’t you say that drunken Indian, as you started to, Miss Burrage?” asked Swiftwing, with something like a bitter smile. “White men never get drunk, I believe!”
“Goodness, yes they do!” exclaimed Miss Abigail; “but not all of them get drunk. All Indians get drunk.” ”

“ This sporting tour is killing me. How’d we happen to know anything about this cowboy racket, anyway?”
“Oh, I’m onto all that’s going,” smiled Frank.
“That’s right enough,” agreed Bruce; “but you didn’t know a thing about it at noon yesterday, and we were on our way eastward over the Texas and Pacific. None of us expected to stop short of Fort Worth, but, of a sudden, you yank us off the train at Stanton and run us out here to this ranch, without a word of explanation. When we arrive here we are received with open arms and made to feel as if we had been expected. ”

“ Was it possible this tenderfoot dared face him—dared touch him? With a sudden wrench he attempted to break from Frank, but, to his surprise, the young Yale athlete gave his wrist a twist, snapping the revolver from his fingers, and, almost at the same instant, snatched the other weapon from its holster.
“These are not suitable for a careless man to handle,” said Merry, as he flung them far out upon the grass.
For a single instant Indian Charlie was dazed. How the trick had been accomplished by this smooth-faced youth he could not conceive, and it filled him with wonder. ”

“ Then Frank’s amazement and wonder was complete, for he was grasped and hugged by the arms of a fat boy who was laughing all over his fat, jolly face, and that boy was Hans Dunnerwust, who, with Mulloy, had known him at Fardale Academy when all were students there.
“Hans! Why, where—how——”
But Frank was given no time for questions, as an angry crowd was pressing about them, and they were in danger.
Merriwell lifted his voice, crying:
“Every American in the place should stand by us! My friend struck the Chinaman because he saw him draw a knife, and the blow was delivered in self-defense.” ”

“ With his bare hands he has little chance to kill. Oh, yes, football is a splendid game for savages!”
It was Merriwell’s turn to smile.
“Mr. Carver,” he said, quite calmly, “you are showing how very ignorant you are about football. It’s a man’s game, and only men of nerve, as well as skill and strength, can play it.”
Carver’s brow darkened for a moment and then cleared.
“It is natural you should think so,” he nodded. “You are a college football player. Never mind that; we’ll not discuss it. But it is certain that all the education John Swiftwing may receive will not change him from a savage. ”

“ She is not the girl to cringe or cry. She is impulsive, hot-blooded, passionate, and, as a last resort, to escape this English lord, she might do something desperate. Nay, she might commit suicide.”
Harry was inclined to laugh at this, but he saw that Merriwell was very grave and earnest, and he refrained. He shook his head, however, saying:
“You cannot be in earnest, old fellow. Girls do not commit suicide nowadays.”
“I assure you there is no telling what a girl like Inza Burrage might do. That is what worries me. I feel that it is my duty to aid her, but how—how can I reach her?” ”

“ Crack! crack! crack! sounded the driver’s whip, each snap being like the report of a pistol. Clatter! clatter! co-lat-ter! sounded the hoofs of the galloping horses.
“Oi’ve played football a little in me loife,” said Barney, as he picked himself up from the bottom of the cab, only to be thrown down again with greater violence, “but Oi’ll admit this takes th’ cake. Football is not in it, at all, at all.”
Still Frank was silent. ”

“ CHAPTER XXIX—HANS AND THE BRONCHO Sadie Rodney drew a deep breath.
“I am sorry, Mr. Merriwell,” she said, “that this unfortunate affair occurred, and I must express my admiration for the manner in which you disposed of that fellow. I can scarcely believe it now. But I fear it will mean more and serious trouble. I shall speak to father about it, and Indian Charlie shall be watched.”
“Don’t let it trouble you,” smiled Frank. “I do not fear that man, and he will not harm me, unless he does so in a treacherous manner.” ”

“ Farewell, Merriwell!”
“Your hand, John Swiftwing!” cried Frank. “Your heart is all right, after all! Old fellow, I’ll see you this fall, when we play Carlisle again!”
With a sad smile, the Indian youth shook his head.
“I shall not be there,” he said.
“No? Why, how is that? I do not understand!”
“I shall not go back to the white man’s school.”
“You won’t? What is the meaning of that? Why won’t you go back?”
“Because it is useless. They are right when they say the Indian can never become like the white man. I shall try no more.” ”

“ Merriwell saw he was in for a struggle with the enraged nobleman, and he quickly placed Inza behind him, keeping his eyes on Stanford all the while.
The furious fellow struck at Frank, huskily crying:
“Take that, you young ruffian! It’s a bobby I’ll call and have you arrested for what you have done!”
But Frank avoided the blow with ease.
He did not strike Stanford again.
“You are a mark,” he laughed. “I’m ashamed to give you what you deserve. Why, I could break your nose in a moment if I wished.”
“Bragging again! You Americans are always bragging! That is all you know how to do!” ”

“ Soon the sun will seek his bed to rest, and the night will smile down upon us from its starry eyes, while it breathes a soft breath to smooth the ruffled feathers of the White Dove. You must have no fear of day or night, for I am with you, and I will guard you as the she-bear guards its cubs. ”

“ He was a revelation to me.”
“There are a few like him, but he is not just what he seems, you may be sure of that, Inza.”
“Now stop right there, Bart Hodge! Don’t tell me that he is still a savage at heart. I know better! You can’t make me believe that after seeing all the fine things there are in the East and learning how much superior the method of living among white men is to the way the Indians live that a highly intelligent fellow like John Swiftwing could desire to come back here and live as his people live.” ”

“ When Carver strolled on, Frank and Inza turned about and retraced their steps toward the Pueblo. As they departed, the unseen Indian heard Inza say:
“I will not believe John Swiftwing is a bad Indian! He has a noble face, and you told me, Frank, that you thought him a fine fellow.”
“I did,” said Merry, “but I know very little of him. Physically, he is a marvel, which is rather strange, as he is a Pueblo Indian, and they are not remarkable for their physical development. ”

“ The Irish lad went down heavily, but he was not severely injured.
Whirling Bear gave a cry of anger when he saw what Merriwell had done, and then rushed at Frank.
Frank dodged and tripped the Indian with the greatest skill, so that the redskin was pitched forward on his face and stunned for the moment.
“If you will try the copper-skin a whirl, I’ll back you for any amount,” said Dan Carver, quietly.
Whirling Bear sat up, savagely glaring at the white boys.
“No can wrastle with two!” he growled. “One at time is ’nough. Why other white boy do something?” ”

“ CHAPTER III—IN A QUANDARY Frank took a turn twice the length of the room, and then stopped before Barney and the others, who were watching him in silence.
“Fellows,” he said, his voice firm and steady, “Inza Burrage is a girl whom I admire very much. When I attended school at Fardale we were sweethearts. I fancy the most of you know what it is to have a sweetheart at school. Circumstances may separate such sweethearts in after years, but nothing ever makes them forget each other. They are sure to think of each other with tenderness and respect. ”

“ In this respect Frank felt that they might well be compared with the finest bred girls of the East.
“It is a great country,” he thought; “and the East is altogether conceited when it fancies it has all the brains and culture. There are other places besides Boston and New York, and I can understand why some of the other places seem superior to many people.”
He was watching for Inza. She had promised him the first waltz, and he hoped to find time to chat a moment with her before the dance. He wished to compliment her on her brave attempt to rescue Effie Random. ”

“ Frank laughed.
“It’s easier than I thought,” he said.
“That broncho was trained to buck,” said Indian Charlie, speaking loudly enough for Frank to hear. “He isn’t much like a natural bucker. The tenderfoot couldn’t stay on the back of a natural bucker a second.”
Again Frank laughed, and it was far more expressive than words. That laugh distinctly said that the foreman of the Lone Star was making a fool of himself.
Bart Hodge was angry.
“I’ll bet Frank Merriwell can ride any broncho on this ranch!” he cried, addressing no one in particular. ”

“ If Frank had not known what sort of stuff there was in the little animals, he might have hesitated about starting out with a wagon load of twelve persons, to say nothing of several mail pouches.
The driver, a Mexican lad, occupied a seat with Toots. He cracked his long whip and uttered a yell. The little bronchos started slowly, broke into a run, and away they went, with the boys waving their hats and cheering, while Inza fluttered her handkerchief to the Mexican postmaster, who was standing in the open doorway. ”

“ The word came, and the starter’s pistol cracked.
Away leaped the runners like greyhounds.
A cheer went up from the spectators.
Wallace Random was a great starter, and he leaped to the front at the first bound.
Merriwell and Black were paired, while Creston got off next, and Harper was last.
Frank knew how much there was in the start of a short dash, and he felt that Random had obtained an advantage; but that made no difference with him, for he was there to do his best.
For a third of the distance no one obtained much of a lead. Then Random began to pull away. ”