"Too bad!" said Merry, when the door was closed. "I believe she really thinks I know something about the girl."
File said nothing until they had descended to the[Pg 261] street. On the steps of the hotel he paused and looked hard at Frank.
"Young man," he said, "you don't act to me like a desperado. I'm mightily disappointed in you. From what I heard, I supposed you a ruffian. To tell you the truth, I'm rather inclined in your favor."
"Thank you," said Frank, with a bit of bitterness. "Little good that does me, although I am grateful to know that I have not become villainous in appearance. I came here to do that woman a favor, knowing all the while that she hated me, and this is the way I have been received."
"Why did you take so much pains to come?"
"Because I know her daughter, a handsome, refined, noble-hearted girl. It was not for the woman's sake, but for her daughter's that I put myself to the trouble that has drawn me into this scrape, Mr. File. Tell me, what has been done to find and rescue June Arlington?"
"Everything possible," said the city marshal. "But the girl seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. She vanished in the very heart of this town, too. It's a most mysterious affair. Mr. Merriwell, I regret that my duty compelled me to place you under arrest and now compels me to lock you up. I hope circumstances may give you your freedom very soon."
Frank was somewhat touched by these simple words.
"Go ahead," he said. "But you had better get me under lock and key before my friends find out what[Pg 262] has happened. They might raise trouble, and I don't want to see anybody hurt over this affair."
So they started down the street, walking side by side, like two friends. File did not even keep a hand on Merry.