"Here's a match, me boy," said the man. "I had a pocketful w'en I braced yer for one."
He passed a match to Frank, who hastily struck it on a stone and then held it so that he could read the name that was engraved on the card in his fingers.
A cry of astonishment broke from Merriwell's lips, and both card and match fell from his fingers to the ground.
This is the name he had read upon the card:
"It don't make a dit of bifference, Frank!" spluttered Harry Rattleton. "I don't care if you have got his card! That thug lied like blazes! Putnam may be selfish--he may have other faults, but he never hired anybody to break your arm."
"I cannot think he would do such a thing myself," said Frank; "but this Plug Kirby, as he is called, seemed honest and in earnest. He stands ready to identify the fellow at any time."
"Then why not settle it by bringing him before Putnam this very afternoon? That's the way to mix the fatter--I mean fix the matter."
"It is a good idea, Harry, and we will have to carry it out. I'll need your assistance."
So Frank and Harry arranged to bring Putnam and his accuser together that afternoon, it being the day after the assault on Merriwell. Frank was to look out for Kirby while Harry brought Putnam along to the saloon over which Buster Kelley had rooms.
Frank and Kirby were there in advance, and they sat down in a corner, where they were not likely to be observed by anybody who entered.
Kirby's face was cut and scarred where he had felt Frank's hard fists, and the tough looked on the cool lad with genuine respect and admiration.
"I wants yer ter understan' dat I'd never gone inter dat game if I hadn't been hard up an' in a bad way," he said, trying to apologize for himself. "T'ings have been runnin' agin' me, an' I've been on de rocks fer a long time, an' I didn't know how I was ter make a haul any easier dan by breakin' a kid's arm. It warn't no killin' matter nohow, an' so I took der job. I never s'pected I was ter run up agin' anyt'ing like wot you are. If I had, why, wild hosses wouldn't get me ter tried it."
"My enemy knew enough not to meet me himself."
"Dat's right, an' now I want ter git square wid him fer steerin' me up agin' anyt'ing of der sort. Wot yer goin' ter do wid him--break his neck?"