“The fellow fired at me with the muzzle of that revolver less than a foot from my heart,” he said, “yet I felt no touch of the bullet. I do not quite understand it.”
He looked at Skelding inquiringly. It was plain that Frank suspected Gene, and he was on the alert. He must have wondered that Skelding followed Defarge closely in the rush into that room, and not even Gene’s readiness in aiding Merriwell to master the crazy student explained his action.
It is probable that Frank half-suspected a plot between Defarge and Skelding that had somehow miscarried. In case Defarge failed in his attempt, Skelding was to be on hand for some purpose. Still this did not explain why Gene had been so willing to grapple with Defarge and hold him while Merry subdued the fellow with the power of his eyes.
Skelding looked at the revolver and then at Merriwell, who was watching him closely.
“It is loaded with blank cartridges,” Gene said.
Frank picked it up and examined it. He saw that Skelding told the truth.
Some students who had been startled by the shot now came to Frank’s door in search of the place from whence the sound had issued. Merriwell blocked the door so that they could not see into the room, laughing as he said:
“Accidents will happen, you know; but it’s nothing serious. The revolver was loaded with a blank, and so no one would have been hurt, even if it had been pointed at somebody.”
In this manner, without telling them a falsehood, he gave them the impression that the weapon had been discharged while it was being carelessly handled, and they departed satisfied, although some of them wondered not a little that Frank Merriwell should handle a revolver in a careless manner.
Frank closed the door and turned back, the revolver in his hand. Defarge was sitting quietly on the chair, while Skelding was standing near.