“He has been there,” muttered Merry’s enemy, looking after his twin brother, whom he so closely resembled in outward appearance, although otherwise there was not the slightest similarity.
Then a sudden thought came to him. In the past he had been mistaken for Oliver a score of times, and again he might perpetrate the deception. No one would expect him to boldly enter Merriwell’s room. If any one had observed the departure of Oliver, it might be fancied that Oliver had returned, if Roland were seen.
“I’ll do it!” he muttered, and he boldly followed the messenger into the room.
He saw Frank in the midst of his friends. He would have given ten years of his life to win such homage from that admiring throng. Yet he could not help seeing that Frank Merriwell bore himself with perfect modesty, as if feeling himself no better than his humblest friend. Merry’s position was most difficult, and only a man of remarkable tact could have filled it without seeming to pose. It was this atmosphere maintained by Frank at all times that had made him so popular. He did not betray exaltation, and yet in no way did he lower himself by his quiet, unaffected manners.
The man in gray slowly pushed forward till he could touch Frank’s arm. In a moment when Merry was not engaged, the stranger spoke, saying:
“Mr. Merriwell, I beg your pardon for bothering you now, but my business is most important. I will trouble you only a minute, if you will kindly step aside.”
Frank was surprised, but his courtesy was sufficient to enable him to betray it only by a slight lifting of the eyebrows. Then he excused himself to those immediately about him and stepped apart with the man.
“I would not have bothered you now,” said the stranger, “but I am the bearer of an important message to you, and I wish to get it out of my hands without delay, as there is danger that I may lose it. I shall not feel easy till I have turned it over to you, when my task will be completed.”
“A message?” said Frank. “From whom?”
“I do not know. I know nothing, save that I have been paid a large sum of money to bring it to you, and to guard it with my life till it is in your hands.”