“I’ll give you a hundred down and the rest as soon as you do the job.” Hashi smiled as he shook his head. “It will not be a matter for considering unless I am in reception of five times that before starting.” The Jap had gauged Fillmore, and he was determined to get every dollar possible out of the fellow. In vain the young rascal argued; Hashi continued to smile and remained firm. Finally Fillmore was compelled to yield or give over his dastardly plan. “All right,” he said; “but there will be trouble if you fail me.” “Let me humbly urge, respected sir, that you have no need to use the threat. Be waiting at the stage door. If the opportunity is found for me, I shall earn from you the money that has been justly agreed upon.” Fillmore left the Rennart in high spirits. “A broken leg will block this marriage for a time,” he muttered. “It will give me an opportunity to make further plans and carry them out. Ah! Mr. Merriwell, you don’t know the kind of an enemy you have in me! I’m fighting for haughty, black-eyed Inza, and I’ll fight to the finish!” CHAPTER XXXIII. AT THE UNIVERSITY CLUB. There was an unusual gathering of young college men at the University Club that evening. Word had been passed round that Merriwell would be there. He appeared shortly before nine o’clock, accompanied by Hodge. Maurice Spaulding, a Yale man, hastened to greet him. Frank and Bart surrendered their hats to the darky checker and followed Spaulding into the reading room. Immediately several Yale grads hastened to greet them. After this, they were introduced to other club members and visitors. The Yale men gathered in a group, with Merry and Bart in their midst, and chatted of such things as interested them all. They were very proud of Merriwell and the athletic record he had made. “It will be a long day before Yale sees another leader like him!” cried Spaulding enthusiastically. “You made plenty of enemies in your day, Merriwell, old man. I believe my cousin Wallace was one of them.” “Wallace Spaulding—is he your cousin?” asked Frank, in some surprise. “I regretfully confess that he is,” grinned Maurice. “Wallace regarded himself as the real thing in his college days, and, as far as things go, he was.” “I don’t see how you’ve kept up in athletics as you have since leaving college, Merriwell,” observed Henry Harriman. “Most chaps take a slump unless they go into professionalism. Of course there are exceptions.” “And Merriwell is a shining star among the exceptions,” nodded Cutler Priest. “Hail to the all-round amateur champion of the United States!” cried Vincent Carroll. “What’s the secret, Merriwell, old chap?” “Never let up,” answered Frank quickly. “That’s the secret of success in most things.” “Is that your motto?” questioned Harriman. “One of them,” answered Merry.