He was feeling a little of the mental strain which he had undergone, but otherwise was in splendid shape. His one reply to the inquiries as to where he had been last night was to tell the fellows that he had had a chance to go behind the scenes, and had stayed there throughout the play. One and all, his friends had commented on the amazing resemblance between himself and the author of the play, and he had agreed with them that it was most extraordinary.
He was a little annoyed to find out that Buckhart knew the truth, but, after all, it mattered very little now, especially when he knew that the Texan would never divulge the secret. Brad’s utter astonishment when he found that Dick really had played the part of Jarvis was very funny. He pronounced the performance as the very “corkingest” thing he had ever seen.
Suddenly Dick’s quick ear caught the sound of hurried feet on the stairs, a moment later the door was burst open, and Demarest, his face aglow with joyous enthusiasm, dashed into the room.
With a sweep of his arms, he caught Dick about the shoulders, and gave him a great hug.
“Oh, you brick!” he cried. “I didn’t know there was such a bully fellow alive! As long as I live I’ll never forget what you did for me last night. It was splendid! But what an old bluffer you are.”
He took a step backward, and gazed at the Yale man affectionately.
Dick looked a little puzzled.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Why, pretending you couldn’t act, of course.”
“But I can’t,” Dick objected. “At least, I didn’t think I could.”