Inza drew herself up proudly.
"You cannot tell me anything of Mr. Merriwell that will make me think less of him," she declared, her dark eyes flashing.
That was enough to chain Frank to the spot; he could not have slipped away then had he desired to do so.
"Perhaps not," said Gage, with a significant smile, "but I think I can."
"How has Frank Merriwell ever injured you that you should be slandering him behind his back?"
For an instant this staggered Leslie, like a blow in the face, but he swiftly recovered.
"Oh, Merriwell has never injured me, and I haven't the least thing in the world against him," he said, smoothly; "but I do take an interest in you, and it makes me sorry to see you so absorbed in a fellow utterly unworthy of your friendship—utterly unworthy to be spoken to or even noticed by you."
Gage spoke rapidly, for he saw she was eager to interrupt him. Her face grew pale, and she stamped one small foot angrily on the ground, as she flung back:
"This is not the first time you have tried to injure him, and you should be ashamed! Why, he saved you from the Eagle's Ledge, after you had fallen over Black Bluff."
"Which was exactly what any fellow would have done for another under similar circumstances. That is not to his credit. I beg you to listen. It has taken me some time to make up my mind to tell you the truth—to warn you, and now I must. To begin with, Merriwell comes of an uncertain family, although, I believe, he has an uncle who has some money, and that uncle is paying the fellow's way through Fardale Academy."