"You know I mean the Queen of Flowers."
"And you do not know what has become of her?"
"How can we? She disappeared mysteriously from the ballroom. No one saw her leave, but she went."
"She must have returned to her home."
"That will not go with us, Merriwell, for we hastened to the place where she is stopping with her father, and she was not there, nor had he seen her. He cannot live long, and this blow will hasten the end. You will be responsible. Take my advice and give her up at once, unless you wish to get into trouble of a most serious nature."
Frank saw that Raymond actually believed he knew what had become of the Flower Queen.
"Look here," came swiftly from the boy's lips, "it is plain this is no time to waste words. I do not know what has become of the Flower Queen, that is straight. I did know she had disappeared from the ballroom, but I supposed she had returned to her home. I do not know her name as yet, although she knows mine. If anything has happened to her, I am not responsible; but I take a great interest in her, and I am ready and eager to be of assistance to her. Tell me her name, as that will aid me."
Rolf Raymond could not doubt Frank's words, for honesty was written on the boy's face.
"Her name," he said—"her name is—for you to learn."
His taunting laugh brought the warm blood to Frank's face.