CHAPTER XX

FRANK MERRIWELL’S DILEMMA.

When Starbright and Dashleigh appeared on the campus they were greeted with a sensation. Dion Santenel was no longer a prisoner. He had escaped from the jail the previous evening.

Merriwell, Browning, and Hodge were talking about it over by the senior fence; and though the mass of the students had no knowledge that Dade Morgan was in any way connected with the man who had been placed in jail by Merriwell, the escape of the prisoner was being discussed by little knots of Yale men gathered here and there.

“Will it interfere with the hockey-match this afternoon?” Bert asked.

“I don’t see why it should,” was the answer of the student of whom Bert had inquired.

“On account of Merriwell.”

“Oh, yes; I forgot that you’re one of the fellows who think the sun can’t rise of mornings unless Frank Merriwell pries it up with a lever. That hockey-match can be played without Merriwell!”

“You’re joining the Chickering set!” said Bert.

“Oh, no! Only I happen not to be insane over Merriwell!”

There were others who asked themselves and their acquaintances that question, but all conjecture was set at rest by an announcement from Frank that the game would be played.

When Frank returned to his room he found Dade Morgan awaiting him in the corridor.

“I thought I’d like to have a few words with you,” said Morgan.

Frank showed him into his apartments.

“I didn’t know how you might feel?” Morgan queried.

“I don’t know that I understand you?”

“About the hockey-match.”

“It is to be played this afternoon on Lake Whitney. The ice is being cleared of the snow now for the game.”

“Yes, I knew that. But I wanted to know if you’d be willing for me to play. I’m down as one of the opposition players, you know, and after what has happened I didn’t know how you might feel. I’d like to play in that match, but——”

Morgan’s manner was subdued and almost penitent.

“I have had no thought of objecting to your playing in that match, Morgan. I’ve been wondering, though, how much you know about that escape of Santenel.”

“No more than you do,” Morgan declared. “I was afraid you might think I had a hand in that, though you’ll see that I couldn’t.”

“Some one got a file to him, and he cut through the bars,” said Frank, watching Dade closely. “He escaped early last evening. No one seems to know how he secured the file, and some of the prison officials affect to believe that he had it concealed about him when he was put in jail. Any way, he is out. If he’ll steer clear of New Haven and let me and my father alone hereafter, I shall not care much. You don’t know anything about it?”

“Not a thing.”

“You’ve asked me about the hockey-match. I’ll say this: It won’t be healthy for you to attempt any underhanded work in that game. I shall discover it if you do.”

Morgan began a protest.

“Ever since I’ve known that you and Santenel were connected, I’ve been in a dilemma,” Frank went on. “You understand what I mean.”

“I’ve cut loose from all that, Merriwell. I don’t expect you to believe me until you’ve had the proof. But I’ve cut loose from work of the kind you complain against.”

“If you had any hand in helping Santenel to escape, I shall discover it by and by. I’m talking plain to you, Morgan. It’s not my style to beat around the bush in a matter like this. You have tried your best to injure me here at Yale. I haven’t forgotten it, and I’m not likely to. I have, as I told you, proofs enough to force you out of Yale. Perhaps I shall use them. If I find that you had a hand in that escape, I shall certainly use them.”

“Just give me time to show you that I’m all right,” Dade begged. “I’m going to play fair hereafter. By that I don’t mean that I’ve any notion of joining your flock.”

“No one joins that who isn’t invited.”

Dade flushed.

“What I meant was that I can’t expect to become your warm friend and supporter right off. I shall retain the privilege of kicking against things you do, and of working against you in an honorable manner. But I have cut loose from everything else. I’ll prove it in time; and as for that game this afternoon, I’ll promise you that you won’t have a man on your team who will fight harder to win.”

“You’re a star in athletics, Morgan. For that reason alone I have put you on various teams. But I have never trusted you, and I do not trust you now. So you may look out, for I shall be watching you.”

Dade was rather pale as he went down from Vanderbilt. He realized that he had never been in quite so close and ticklish a place. One false step might hurl him out of Yale in disgrace.

“You bet I’ll play fair this afternoon,” he thought. “It stands me in hand to play fair just now, and I’m the boy to do it when it’s necessary. But I wonder how Santenel got out and what’s become of him? He’ll hang round New Haven, no doubt.”

So strong was this feeling on Dade that he almost expected to see Santenel crouching over the fire in the grate when he returned to his room, but the hypnotist was not there.

Hodge passed Morgan on the stairs as the latter was descending, and entered Frank’s room with a displeased look.

“I wouldn’t trust that fellow an inch!” he growled.

“I’m not trusting him,” said Frank. “I’m merely watching him.”

“Of course. I’ve protested so much that you’re not likely to listen to anything I say,” Hodge grumbled. “But I wouldn’t even permit the scoundrel to come into these rooms. He’d do anything. When I come in here and know that he has just left you I find myself looking round in search of an infernal machine or something of the kind. That fellow has no more honor than a rattlesnake.”

“I’m not trusting him,” Frank repeated quietly.

“Yet you will let him play on that opposition team this afternoon. You haven’t said so to me, but I know that you will do it, simply because he is a good player.”

“I have no right to say who shall be on the other team. Then, I’ve another reason, Bart,” Frank explained. “I can watch him better while he is there than if he were somewhere else. I am sure he will not try to do anything risky, for he knows that he dare not. I’ve told him just how the land lays, and, understanding that, he will hold himself in. I shall take steps which I hope will bring about the recapture of Santenel. Dirk is working on the case. The police officials feel chagrined, and they will do all they can.”

“And of course you’ll let Morgan remain in Yale?” said Bart, with curling lips.

“I don’t know. I’m in a dilemma about it. You see, it is this way: Morgan is such a capable fellow that if he could be brought round right, he would make a man worthy of Yale. With, possibly, the exception of Starbright, he is the most promising freshman here. If I’m lenient with him, it may bring him to realize just how he stands. He may turn short about and make a man of himself. While, on the other hand, if I should brand him with the disgrace of an expulsion from the college, he might go headlong to the bad. That’s what makes me hesitate. I’d like to give him a chance to become something more than a brilliant villain.”

“Well, he will never be anything else.”

Hodge had been quite mild in his protest against Morgan, but he said this last very positively. When he was gone Merriwell sat for a long time thinking. Usually he could not agree with Hodge in such matters; but he was not sure that in this instance Hodge was not right.

“I’ll give Morgan a chance, any way!” was his conclusion. “I’ll let him play in that match, and I’ll watch him.”