“I tried to hold Vance,” answered Hodge, “but some men seemed to think I was trying to murder him, and they parted us, giving him a chance to get away.” “Gentlemen,” said Merriwell, speaking to the assembled crowd, “I think you see how it is. The scoundrels have taken to their heels, leaving this unfortunate woman here to get out of it as best she can. The way they ran must convince you that they are just what I claimed—blackmailers.” The woman showed signs of reviving. A gallant man assisted her to rise, and she quickly dropped down on the sofa, seeming weak and faint. As she was rather handsome, the man, like men, began to say there must be some mistake, as it was not possible she had been concerned in an attempt at blackmail. Frank listened to them with a faint smile on his face. “They make me sick!” growled Hodge. “If she were old and plain, they wouldn’t take so much interest in her.” Of a sudden, the woman sprang up, her eyes flashing, her cheeks flushed. “Let me pass!” she exclaimed, dramatically. “The same old melodrama line!” murmured Merry, seeming indifferent in regard to the woman. “Are you going to let her go?” hissed Hodge. “Yes.” “Don’t do it, Frank!” “Yes.” “You are foolish! You——” “Wait, Bart; we’ll talk of this later.” “And she will get away.” Hodge seemed inclined to make an attempt to stop the woman, but Merriwell restrained him, to his deep disgust. Out of the room walked the woman, and she hurried straight from the hotel. “The show is over, gentlemen,” laughed Frank. “I trust you have received your money’s worth.” Then he bade Hodge and Gallup follow, and left the parlor. CHAPTER X. MORE ADVENTURES. Bart followed Merry to his room, and Ephraim trailed along behind. When they were in the room, Merry fell to laughing. Hodge flung himself down on a chair, looking sullen and sour, upon which Frank laughed the harder. Ephraim sat on the edge of the bed and grinned, but seemed to be in doubt whether he had better laugh or not. “Come, come, Hodge!” cried Merry. “What’s the use to look that way? It’s all over now.” Hodge growled something under his breath. “I should think yeou’d be hoppin’ mad yourself, Frank,” said Ephraim. “Oh, he laughs at everything!” exploded Bart. “He says I have no sense of humor. Well, I am glad I haven’t if he sees anything funny about this business!” “Certainly I do see something funny about it,” asserted Merry. “What is it?” “The idea of anybody attempting to blackmail an actor—a traveling showman. It is enough to make a horse laugh. I doubt if such a remarkable thing ever happened before.” Ephraim began to see the affair from Frank’s viewpoint, and his grin broadened with great rapidity. “By gum!” he cried. “I never thought of that! I guess folks wouldn’t b’lieve it ef yeou was to tell um.”