“I am informed that you have been sent for to place me under arrest. I demand to know with what I am charged, for I have committed no crime. You have no right to seize me without a proper warrant, merely on complaint of this person!”
The smaller officer smiled and produced a paper.
“We have a warrant,” he said. “It was sworn out by a young lady, Miss Inza Burrage, who charges that you cut the balloon-rope on the day of the Yale-Carlisle football-game, with the intention of causing her death and the death of Charles Conrad Merriwell, who was in the balloon with her. You will see, therefore, that we can do nothing but go ahead, and we place you under arrest.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank Merriwell took his way thoughtfully toward the rooms of Dade Morgan, whither Dade had gone but a moment before. Dion Santenel lay in prison, having been committed to jail that afternoon.
When Frank rapped on the door of Morgan’s room, the freshman calmly invited him to come in. He was sitting on his trunk, with various articles scattered about in confusion. Appearances indicated that he had contemplated a hasty flight from New Haven.
“Not going to leave us?” Frank asked, dropping into the chair to which Morgan pointed.
“Merely getting some things together for the laundry.”
He smiled in his pleasant way and really was so cool that Frank could not help admiring him.
“I think I’ll close the door,” said Frank, stepping over and shutting it. “I came up for a little talk.”
“It is a bit cool in here. I ought to have done that myself. You’ll pardon me.”
“Perhaps you can guess what I want to say?”
“I suppose it’s something about that polo-game. I’m free to admit that I wanted the other fellows to beat, Merriwell, chiefly because I don’t like certain members of your team. I hope the fact that I bet on the other team doesn’t stick in your crop?”
“No; I didn’t intend to talk of the polo-game. As for that rascally goal-tend who struck Dick Starbright on the head and laid him out, the law will take care of him. Of course, you had nothing to do with that?”
“It’s an insult to insinuate such a thing, Merriwell!”
“I beg your pardon, then, if I am wrong. I have no means of knowing; but I’m fully aware of the fact that you don’t like Starbright—and you would do such a thing!”