“Ah, Frank, again you have shown yourself the noblest fellow in the whole wide world. But I was not worth it! Oh, I am so ashamed of myself! I am such a mean, degraded creature!” “You are nothing of the sort, Bart. You are too quick and passionate, and you have made a false step, but there is plenty of time to turn back.” “I’ll never rest till I bring the real robber to justice!” vowed Hodge. Then he gave a sudden cry: “What’s this?” He took something out of the grip—a ring! Frank snatched it from Bart’s fingers and looked at it. Then, with remarkable coolness and a feeling of unspeakable satisfaction, he said: “This is the evidence that will convict the real robber! Look at the monogram on that ring—‘L. V.’” “‘L. V.’ Why, that stands for——” “Lester Vance!” * * * * * Frank and Bart returned to Atchison. Of course Merry provided Hodge with a coat and hat. Fortunately, Bart had left his overcoat at a lodging house where he had stopped, so that was not stolen from him. As soon as possible Merriwell summoned Lester Vance to his room. Vance came in, looking rather uneasy. Hodge was there. “Mr. Vance,” said Frank, “have you found your ring which you lost yesterday?” “No, I have not,” confessed Lester. “I have.” “You?” “Yes.” “Where?” “Under the false bottom in my grip, where I used to keep my money!” Lester was thunderstruck. He turned deathly white and trembled all over. “Vance,” said Merriwell, his eyes seeming to flash fire, “you can save yourself from disgrace, exposure and imprisonment by returning every dollar of that money. Otherwise, you go to prison!” Vance broke down immediately and confessed. He told how he had slipped down to the office after Hodge and obtained the key to Frank’s room when the clerk was not looking, and how he had been able to take the false bottom out of the grip and secure the money. He restored the whole of it, and left the company suddenly and mysteriously. The various members of the company, with the exception of Frank and Bart, believed Vance had departed thus hurriedly because of Hodge’s return. Frank did not betray Vance, and he caused Hodge to keep silent. CHAPTER VII. FOOLISH GIRLS. “Say!” “What?” “It’s getting too thin!” “What’s that?” “The way mash letters are coming in.” Bart Hodge smiled faintly. “I should say it was getting too thick, Frank,” he said. Frank looked at Bart quickly. “You are coming all right!” he exclaimed, with satisfaction. “When you can even crack a ghost of a joke like that it is a sign that you are getting to be yourself again.” “Haw!” Ephraim Gallup uttered the exclamation. He was sitting near the window of the room looking out into one of the principal streets of St. Joseph. “Now, what is the matter with you, Ephraim?” Merry asked. “B’gosh! I thought yeou hed more sense!” drawled the Vermonter. “Sense? How?”