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Frank Merriwell Down South, a novel by Burt L. Standish |
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Chapter 24. End Of The Search |
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_ CHAPTER XXIV. END OF THE SEARCH Like a cat, Frank alighted on his feet, and he was ready for anything the moment he struck the ground. There was no longer any fighting beneath the tree. The struggling mass had melted to two dark figures, one of which was stretched on the ground, while the other bent over it. Frank sprang forward and caught the kneeling one by the shoulder. "What has become of her?" he demanded, fiercely. The man looked up, astonished. It was Colonel La Salle Vallier! "Yo', sah?" he exclaimed. "You?" cried Frank. Then the boy recovered, again demanding: "What has become of Miss Burrage? She was here a moment ago." The colonel looked around in a dazed way, slowly saying: "Yes, sah, she was here, fo' Mistah Raymon' heard her voice, and he rushed in to save her." "Raymond? Where is he?" "Here, sah." The colonel motioned toward the silent form on the ground, and Frank bent forward to peer into the white, ghastly face. It was, indeed, Rolf Raymond. "Dead?" fluttered Frank. "Dead!" replied Colonel Vallier. "He was killed in the struggle?" "He was stabbed at the ver' start, sah. The knife must have struck his heart." "Merciful goodness!" gasped the boy, horrified. "And how came he here?" "We were searching fo' Manuel Mazaro, sah. Mistah Raymon' did not trus' the rascal, and he believed Mazaro might know something about Miss Burrage. Mazaro is ready fo' anything, and he knew big money would be offered fo' the recovery of the young lady, so he must have kidnaped her. We knew where to find Mazaro, though he did not suppose so, and we came here. As we approached, we saw some figures beneath this tree. Then we heard a feminine cry fo' help, and we rushed in here, sah. That's all, except that Mistah Raymon' rushed to his death, and the rascals have escaped." "They have escaped with the girl--carried her away!" "But they will not dare keep her now, sah." "Why not?" "Because they are known, and the entire police of the city will be after them." "What will they do with her?" "I don't know, but I do not think they will harm her, sah." "What was she to Rolf Raymond?" "His affianced bride, sah." "Well, she will not marry him now," said Frank; "but I am truly sorry that the fellow was killed in such a dastardly manner." "So am I, sah," confessed the queer colonel. "He has been ver' valuable to me. It will be a long time before I find another like him." Frank did not understand that remark then, but he did afterward, when he was told that Colonel Vallier was a professional card sharp, and had bled Rolf Raymond for many thousands of dollars. This explained the singular friendship between the sharp old rascal and the young man. More than that, Frank afterward learned that Colonel Vallier was not a commissioned officer, had never been such, but had assumed the title. In many ways the man tried to imitate the Southern gentleman of the old school, but, as he was not a gentleman at heart, he was a sad failure. All at once Frank remembered Barney, and that he had promised to stand by the Irish lad. "Great Scott!" he cried. "Barney Mulloy is in there with that gang of raging wolves!" "Nivver a bit av it, Frankie," chirped a cheerful voice. "Oi am here." Down from the tree swung the fighting Irish lad, dropping beside his comrade. "Th' craythers didn't feel loike comin' up th' shtairs inny more," Barney explained. "They seemed to hiv enough sport fer wan avenin'. Somebody shouted somethin' to thim, an' away they wint out doors, so I took to lookin' fer yez, me b'y." "And you found me?" "Oi looked out av th' windy, an' hearrud yer voice. Thot's whoy Oi came down. Phat has happened out here, Oi dunno?" Frank hastily explained. "Well, it's the avil wan's oun luck!" exclaimed Barney. "But av we shtay here, Frankie, it's pinched we'll be by the police as will be afther getting around boy and boy. We'd betther take a sneak." "Inza----" "She ain't here inny more, me lad, an' so ye moight as well go." "You are right. Come on." Swiftly and silently they slipped away, leaving Colonel Vallier with the dead youth. Frank was feeling disgusted and desperate, and he expressed himself freely as they made their way along the streets. "It is voile luck," admitted Barney; "but we did our bist, an' it's a jolly good foight we had. Frankie, we make a whole tame, wid a litthle yaller dog under th' waggin." "Oh, I can't think of anything but Inza, Inza, Inza! She----" "Frank!" Out of a dark shadow timidly came a female figure. With a cry of joy, Frank sprang forward, and clasped her in his arms, lifting her off her feet and covering her face, eyes and mouth with kisses, while he cried: "Inza, girl! at last! at last! We fought like fiends to save you, and we thought we had failed. But now----" "You did your best, Frank, but that dreadful wretch dragged me to the window and dropped me into the arms of a monster who was waiting below. I did not faint--I would not! I made up my mind that I would keep my senses and try to escape. The man jumped after me, and then a signal was given that brought the others from the building. They were going to wrap something about my head when I got my mouth free and cried out. After that I scarcely know what happened. There was fighting, and I caught a glimpse of the face of Rolf Raymond. How he came there I do not know. I felt myself free, and I ran, ran, ran, till I fell here from exhaustion, and here I lay till I heard your voice. I knew it, and I replied." "Frankie, me b'y!" cried Barney, "it's a bit ago we were ravin' at our luck: It's givin' thanks we should be this minute." "True, Barney, true! It is all right at last. Inza is safe, Rolf Raymond is dead, and----" A cry broke from the lips of the girl. "Rolf Raymond dead?" she exclaimed, wildly. "Are you sure?" "Sure," replied Frank, coldly. "You will not marry him now." "I should not have married him anyway." "But you were affianced to him?" "By my father--yes. My father and Roderick Raymond, who is a cripple and has not many more years to live, were schoolmates and friends in their younger days. Roderick Raymond has made a vast fortune, and in his old age he set his heart upon having his son marry the daughter of his former friend and partner. It seems that, when they first got married, father and Raymond declared, in case the child of one was a boy, and that of the other was a girl, that their children should marry. Rolf was Mr. Raymond's only son, as I am an only daughter. Believing himself ready to die, Roderick Raymond sent to my father and reminded him of their agreement. As you know, father is not very wealthy, and he is now an invalid. His mind is not strong, and he became convinced that it was his duty to see that I married Rolf Raymond. He set his mind on it, and all my pleadings were in vain. He brought me here to the South, and I saw Rolf. I disliked him violently the moment my eyes rested on him, but he seemed to fall madly in love with me. He was fiercely jealous of me, and watched me as a dog watches its mistress. I could not escape him, and I was becoming entangled deeper and deeper when you appeared. I knew you, and I was determined to see you again--to ask you to save me. I took part in the parade to-night, and went to the ballroom. Rolf followed me about so that I became disgusted and slipped from the room, intending to return home alone. Barely had I left the room when a fellow whispered in my ear that he had been sent there by you--that I was to go with him, and he would take me to you. I entered a closed carriage, and I was brought to the place where you found me a captive in the hands of those ruffians." Frank had listened with eager interest to this explanation, and it made everything clear. "It was ordained by fate that we should find you there," he declared. "It was known the Queen of Flowers had disappeared, and we were searching for you. Something led us straight to that place. Rolf Raymond came there, also, and he came to his death. But, Inza, explain one thing--why didn't you answer my letters?" "I answered every one I received. You stopped writing." "I did not; but I received no answers." "Then," cried the girl, "your letters must have been intercepted. You were constantly changing about. I did not know your address, so I could not ask for an explanation." "Well, it has come out right at last. We'll find a carriage and take you home. To-morrow I will see you." They reached Canal Street, and found a carriage. Inza's invalid father was astounded when he saw Frank and Barney Mulloy appear with his daughter, and he was more than ever astounded and agitated when he knew what had happened. But Inza was safe, and Rolf Raymond was dead. It was a lively tale the boys related to Professor Scotch that night. The little man fairly gasped for breath as he listened. "Well! well! well!" was all he could say. In the morning the police had taken hold of the affair, and they were hot after the fellows who had killed Rolf Raymond. Frank and Barney were called on to tell their story, and were placed under surveillance. But the cottage cafe was deserted, and the Spanish rascals were not captured. They disappeared from New Orleans, and, to this day, the law has never avenged the death of Roderick Raymond's only son. The murder of his boy was too much for Raymond to endure, and he died of a broken heart on the day of the son's funeral. Knowing he was dying, he had a new will swiftly made, and all his wealth was left to his old friend Burrage. Frank and Barney thoroughly enjoyed the rest of their stay in New Orleans. In the open carriage with them, at Frank's side, rode the "Queen of Flowers" as they went sight-seeing. In the throng of spectators, with two detectives near at hand, they saw Colonel La Salle Vallier. He lifted his hat and bowed with the utmost courtesy. "The auld chap is something of a daisy, after all, Frankie," laughed Barney. "Oi kinder admire th' spalpane." "Ha, hum!" coughed Professor Scotch, at Barney's side. "He is a great duelist--a great duelist, but he quailed before my terrible eye--he was forced to apologize. Hum, ha!" Frank leaned toward Inza. "If anything happens when we are again separated that you should fail to receive my letters, you will not doubt me, will you?" he asked, in a whisper. And she softly replied: "No, Frank, but----" "But what?" "You--you must not forget Elsie Bellwood." "I haven't heard from her in a long time," said Frank. And there the talk ended. But Frank was to hear from his other girl friend soon and in a most unexpected manner. _ |
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