“Well! well! well! It hardly seems possible. I fail to understand why you should do such a thing. It was very kind of you to send me tickets for your performance yesterday, and I was fortunate to be able to attend. I was greatly pleased, both with your play and yourself, to say nothing of your supporting company. I see the papers have given you a great send-off, but it is no better than you merit.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Frank, simply.
The policeman began to look disturbed, while the bobbing man, the little man, the gallant man, and the cock-eyed man all stared at Frank and the sergeant in surprise.
“You seem to recognize the offender, sir,” said the officer who had arrested Frank.
“I recognize the gentleman, Brandon,” said the sergeant, putting particular emphasis on the word “gentleman.”
“He said he had been arrested before.”
“He was, on a trumped-up charge, and he was promptly dismissed by me.”
The officer looked still more disturbed.
“But this is no trumped-up charge,” he declared. “I have witnesses.”
“Where are they?”