CHAPTER VII.THE FALSE CONFESSION.
“What is it?”
“Your handkerchief.”
“Where did you get it?”
“I found it. See, here are your initials on the corner. I have been to the laundry where you take your linen, and there I compared this with one of your handkerchiefs in the place. It is your mark, and you cannot dispute it.”
“Well, let me up. What if I do not dispute it? What about that?”
“It proves beyond a doubt that you threw the stone at Merriwell with deadly intent, for I found it on the spot where you stood when you did the trick, just behind the bushes on that high ridge beside the road.”
Something like a mumbled curse came from Bertrand’s lips.
“Let me up,” he begged.
“Will you confess?”
“How can I confess down here this way? Let me up.”
“All right, but you must sit down beside the table here and sign a written confession. If you try any tricks, I shall prick you a little with this sticker. If you know much about me, you realize now that I meanbusiness and I’ll make good every threat. If you were harmed and made charges against me I should swear that you attacked me with murderous intent after I came here and accused you, and that I did the trick in self-defense. Even if you were able to swear to the contrary, which is not likely after I jabbed you with this dainty tool, my word would be as good as yours. Now, get up—and sit down there!”
Hodge stood with the weapon held ready for instant use, and Defarge, like a whipped child, meekly obeyed.
“That’s right,” nodded the victor, with satisfaction. “Now, don’t dare to wriggle, for if you try to get hold of that sticker over in the corner I’ll be on top of you like a catamount, and I’ll finish the job instanter.”
Then Bart stepped over to a desk, still keeping nearer than Defarge to the weapon in the distant corner, and brought over an ink-well andwriting-materials.writing-materials.
“What do you think you can make me do?” asked Defarge, with a sneer.
“You are going to write out and sign a confession.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you must. Now I know the whole business, and you can’t deceive me by making any false statements. I know who was behind you in what you did—who got you to do the trick.”
Defarge was silent, filled with surprise.
“Don’t try to shield that snake,” urged Bart. “It will be better for you if you do not. You may claimthat he hypnotized you, or anything you like, but you must confess that he was behind you in what you did.”
“Who?” asked Bertrand.
“Why, Morgan, of course! Didn’t he suggest this piece of business? Own up!”
The French youth caught his breath and then said:
“Yes!”
“I knew it!” cried Bart exultantly. “I saw him speak to you in the cage! I knew something was up then.”
A sudden idea had taken possession of Defarge. He felt that he was caught in the net, and he would not go down without pulling Morgan with him. He had gradually learned to dislike Dade almost as much as he did Frank Merriwell. Of late it had been impossible for him to interest Dade in his crooked schemes and tricks, which had brought about the strong dislike he now harbored.
“But you don’t know the kind of fellow Morgan is,” declared Defarge. “Oh, those eyes of his! They have such an influence over me!”
“His uncle was a hypnotist!”
“He must have hypnotized me, for I made a pledge that I’d never lift my hand against Merriwell again, yet, when he ordered me to do so, I could not refuse.”
Bart’s heart was throbbing wildly.
“It’s just as I thought!” he declared, feeling almost friendly toward Defarge for this statement. “But there’s only one way for me to prove it against him.”
“I can’t make a charge against him—I can’t!”
“You must!”
“If he is present, it will be impossible. He’ll throw his power over me, and I’ll be helpless to tell the truth.”
“You shall do it here and now!”
“Please don’t make me do that! It will ruin me! I shall be expelled from college, and all on account of Morgan! Think of that! I could not help doing what he told me to do. If he were not here I’d never think of harming Merriwell. I know I did try to do so long ago, but he was generous to me, and I vowed never to lift my hand against him again.”
Hodge was silent a moment, and then he said:
“Merriwell is always generous, you know. I might kick you both out of Yale, having such a chance; but I think he will be easy with you. What I want is for him to refuse to take that dog Morgan onto the nine, and Morgan will make it unless Merriwell objects. With your confession, I can convince Merriwell of the whelp’s perfidy, and Morgan will be dropped immediately.”
This was a very simple matter, and Defarge had feared Bart would use the confession to cause both of them to leave college. If this was the only thing Hodge wanted the confession for, he should have it in short order. Inwardly, the French youth was chucking with satisfaction.
“I told the fellow his head would come off before the Easter trip!” he mentally chuckled. “Now, he’ll find out!”
Aloud he said:
“If you will promise me to show the confession to no one but Merriwell I’ll give it to you; but you must tell him I could not help doing just what Morgan commanded. Ask him to be easy with me. It will ruin me if I have to leave college before I finish my course.”
“I’ll do it,” agreed Bart, readily enough, delighted to get the accusation against Morgan on such terms.
Defarge pretended to hesitate, but Hodge forced him on, and he took up the pen and wrote as Bart dictated, now and then making a suggestion. He stated that Morgan possessed some sort of hypnotic power, and this power Dade had exercised to compel Bertrand to obey his commands. He had commanded the French youth to hide beside the road and hurl the stone down at Frank as Merry came along. Bertrand had begged Morgan not to compel him to do that, but Dade had remained unyielding. Thus it came about that Defarge did the trick against his own will, and he was very, very sorry for it and profoundly thankful that Merriwell had not been harmed.
“Now sign it!” cried Bart exultantly. “We’ll see if Merriwell will have any compassion on that whelp after this.”
“What will Morgan do?” whispered Defarge, seeming to hesitate, with the pen uplifted.
“No matter what he does!”
“But you do not think of me! He will be furious! I dare not sign it!”
He was playing his part very well.
“By Heaven! you must sign!” roared Bart.
“But Morgan’s power over me—what revenge will he take? He will be sure to seek revenge on me!”
Under other circumstances, Bart might have seen that Defarge was overdoing the terrified act.
But Bart was blinded by his own hatred of Morgan and his desire to get this signed confession which must convince Merriwell of Dade’s dastardy.
“Sign it!” he cried, “and I’ll protect you from Morgan! Perhaps Morgan will never know how it came about.”
“He must not know—he must not!” panted the other. “You cannot help me if he finds it out. He will put me under his influence and command me to commit suicide, perhaps! Promise me that you will make Merriwell agree not to let Morgan know I revealed the truth about him.”
After a little hesitation, Bart said:
“I’ll do what I can. Go ahead and sign. You must throw yourself on Merriwell’s generosity, and I know you will not do so in vain.”
Then Defarge signed the lying confession, which Bart soon folded and placed in his pocket.
“That’s all, Mr. Defarge,” said Hodge, as he rose to his feet and walked to the door, taking out the key. “I have obtained just what I came for, though I must say you gave me quite a lively little time before I got it.”
He inserted the key and threw back the bolt of the lock.
“Good night,” he said.
Then he opened the door, flung down the rapier, and went out.
Alone in his room, Defarge laughed softly with satisfaction.
“You are welcome to all you got,” he said. "Now, Mr. Dade Morgan, you’ll find that I told you the truth when I said your head would come off, and perhaps you’ll learn to hate Merriwell again as intensely as you did not long ago. We’ll see if he will make a friend of you, as he has of so many others who began by hating him.
“Bah, Bart Hodge! you thought you had forced an unwilling confession from me; but, instead of that, you played right into my hands. I owe you something for helping me along with my little schemes. Why, I have really enjoyed this call from you!”
And he laughed again, softly, with a hissing sound through his white teeth.