“Dat’s right, sah, but when I think ob leabin’ dis ole place it clean breaks mah heart.”
Frank succeeded in comforting the colored boy after a time. He spoke to Toots as gently as if the lad’s skin had been white, and the face of the boy showed his love and admiration for his young master.
It was not easy for Frank to throw off the cloud of sadness that bore down upon him, but he made an effort to do so. There was work before him ere he could leave Bloomfield. All the tangled affairs must be straightened, and every account must be settled.
It was some time before Frank could learn just how matters stood, but he succeeded at last, and then he found, as he had feared, that the old place must be sold. It was necessary, too, to dispose of it immediately.
Thus it came about that soon the whole of Bloomfield knew the Merriwell mansion was for sale. Darius Conrad had his eye on the place. Believing it must be disposed of at a great sacrifice, he was eager to get possession of it, and so, with small loss of time, he set out to look the property over.
Toots answered the ring at the door when Darius and his son Dyke called. Young Conrad had been eager to accompany his father, thinking he would find an opportunity to sneer at Frank and be quite safe with his father near.
Toots knew Darius Conrad, and he would have shut the door in the man’s face, but Conrad forced his way in, followed by his worthy son.
“I wish to see Frank Merriwell,” said the man.
“Well, sah,” answered the colored boy, frankly, “I don’ believe he wants teh see yo’, sah.”
“None of your insolence!” growled Darius, shaking his cane. “This is a matter of business.”