"Oh, yes, there are, Mr. Denham says so. Billy calls him Natty, because that's his name, and he and Billy are going to explore for hidden treasure. There's lots of it in Mexico." "Denham's been reading romances," said Frank, disbelievingly. "No," insisted Jenny, "he's had all sorts of adventures. Why, when he was just a baby, he was carried off by these Indians." "How do you know?" "He says so, and they tattooed him on the left arm, Billy says." Frank sat up suddenly. "On the left arm?" he asked. "With what?" "With a Scarlet Bat--the queerest thing, Billy says-- Oh! what's the matter?" Frank, profoundly moved, had fallen back in his chair. CHAPTER XI FRANK'S STORY Seeing Frank's disturbed face, Mildred also became alarmed, but he managed to pacify both her and Jenny in a few words. It was impossible to tell the truth, therefore he was obliged to romance. "I think the heat is too much for me," he said, smiling, "and your mention of tattooing, Miss Arrow, recalled a disagreeable story." "Tell it to us," said Jenny, eagerly. "I love ghastly tales." "I wouldn't shock you by repeating this one," said Lancaster, finding it difficult to improvise. "It's about a leper." Mildred uttered an exclamation of disgust. "Ugh! how dreadful. I don't want to hear it." "I do," cried Miss Arrow, with the avidity of a ghoul. "You must tell it to me on some other occasion, Mr. O'Neil." "I will, if you will tell me more of Mr. Denham's tattooing." Jenny shook her head. "I don't know any more. You must ask Billy. He has this Scarlet Bat on his left arm, that's all I know." "Did he ever tell Billy how it came to be there?" "I told you. The Indians marked him. I can't say the reason." Frank was silent. He was particularly anxious to know why Denham was marked in this peculiar way, and resolved to find out before the young man returned to town. As it was, the tattooing was another link in the chain which, to his mind, connected Berry with the crime. However, he kept his ideas to himself, and would have taken his departure to think them out at leisure but that he had a purpose to achieve connected with the photograph of Balkis. He knew that Walter's effects had passed into the hands of Mildred, and wished to obtain the portrait, for reasons which he afterwards explained to Jarman. Mildred herself gave him a chance of introducing the subject without awakening suspicion. "You have been working too hard," she said, in reference to Lancaster's late emotion, "and it is so very hot." "Perhaps I have," he assented, glad of the excuse; "but Jarman is anxious to get a new story finished quickly. It's an Eastern tale." "Tell it to us," said the bold Jenny, sitting up and hugging her knees. "Jenny, how can you!" corrected Mildred. "Mr. O'Neil must keep all those sort of things quiet." "I can tell you this much, Miss Arrow, that Jarman wants a few words of Arabic, and we can't find them." "I never knew him to be at a loss before," said Mildred.