Regardless of the danger from flying bullets, Frank Merriwell leaped to the front of the stage.
"Keep your seats, ladies and gentlemen!" he cried, clearly and distinctly. "That ruffian shall be taken care of at once."
"Whoop!" roared Bill Dyer, as he blazed away. "Who'll take care of me?"
Over the footlights Frank vaulted, striking in the aisle. Straight toward the desperado he bounded.
"Hold up!" shouted Dyer--"hold up, or by mighty, I'll perforate yer hide!"
But Frank did not hold up. He rushed upon the ruffian, clutched him, whirled him about, rushed him down the aisle.
"I'll shoot ye full of holes!" he howled.
As Frank reached the rear of the hall, he found the man's clothes were beginning to give way. Dyer might twist about in a moment.
At one side was a window. Frank hustled the fellow toward it, lifted him off his feet, gave him a swing into the air, cast him headlong at it.
Through the window the fellow plunged, uttering a howl of dismay and fear, and disappeared from view. The broken glass came rattling down, but Dyer was gone.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he cried, his voice ringing out clear and calm, "if you will resume your seats, I think the play will go on without further interruption. The party who made the disturbance has just gone out, and I do not think there is anyone else present who will try to fill his place and follow his example."
A moment of silence, and then a terrific burst of applause. Men shouted their admiration, stamping and clapping their hands. Women, also, showed in all possible ways their appreciation of this courageous act.
In a few moments all were seated again. Other lamps were brought to restore the broken ones, and the play continued.
And it seemed that Frank Merriwell played his part even better than before the interruption.
It is needless to say that he received an ovation and a curtain call at the end of the act. He came out with the leading lady, and they were cheered wildly.
But not a complimentary word did he receive from the lips of Roscoe Havener when it was all over.
That night, after the show, Frank had reached the office of the hotel when a man appeared and said:
"I want to see the feller that threw me out of the hall to-night.
"Won't somebody jest p'int him out to me?"
