CHAPTER XXXIII.
JOYFUL NEWS.
Frank came near shouting his astonishment. At first he scarcely could believe the evidence of his senses.
The proctor—alive—uninjured—there! The proctor, whom he had believed drowned and at the bottom of the Quinnepiac River! It seemed a miracle.
For a moment it seemed to Frank that it could not be true. How was it possible?
The man seemed to understand Merriwell’s agitation, for he laughed exultantly. That laugh did more than anything else to bring Frank to himself.
“So you are surprised to see me here!” sneered the proctor. “Why are you so surprised? Is there any reason why you did not expect to see me, sir?”
Frank became remarkably cool in a moment. His heart was overflowing with gratitude and thankfulness, but he realized that he was in frightful danger—danger of disgrace and dismissal from college. A short time before he would have thought that nothing to be compared with the just punishment that menaced him, but now the proctor was alive, and it was different.
More than that, there was something in the manner of the man that aroused Merriwell. Frank realized that the proctor was thirsting for revenge, and he was just the sort of man who would not hesitate at anything to obtain it.
Had Digby Rudge met Frank in a different manner, had he not shown his fierce hatred in his words and his voice, Merry might have betrayed himself by an expression of his thankfulness to learn that the man still lived.
In some marvelous manner the man had escaped drowning, and now he would do his best to be revenged upon the lads who had ducked him in the river.
“Good-evening, Mr. Rudge,” came with amazing coolness from Frank’s lips. “You gave me quite a start, for I was not noticing, and you rose up so quickly before me.”
“Oh, was that it?” sneered Rudge.
“Yes,” laughed Frank. “As a rule, I am not easily startled, but——”
“Some things that have happened to-night made you nervous, eh? Well, you will be more nervous before I am through with you. I’ll see that you are disgraced and driven from college, sir! I tell you this to your face.”
So that was the proctor’s game. He knew Rudge would not hesitate at anything to make good his threat.
“All right,” said Frank, quietly. “Go ahead. But it seems to me you are not as crafty as usual, or you would not give me this warning. Now I shall be on the watch for you.”
“I’ll fix you, just the same!” vowed the man.
“All right; go ahead. Good-night, Mr. Rudge. Pleasant dreams!”
Frank ran up the steps and disappeared, leaving the proctor to fume with fury.
In his room Frank knelt down and uttered a thankful prayer, for a great load was lifted from his soul. He felt that the adventure of that night had taught him a lesson that he could never forget. Then he remembered the temptation that had assailed him while he was in the water. When he remembered all his thoughts and despair, he believed he had been “tried as by fire,” and it seemed that he had come forth from the trial better in every way. Experience had been his teacher that night, and the lesson was wrought upon his brain in lines of fire. It wouldlive there as long as life lasted. In the future it would serve as a blazing warning to hold him in check whenever he was tempted to do anything in the least unmanly.
The load had been lifted from his soul, but he remembered that there were four fellows who still were tortured by the belief that they had aided in cutting short the life of a human being. It was his duty to carry the joyful news to them and relieve their feelings as soon as possible.
He waited till he felt sure the proctor had departed from the steps, and then he slipped down and out into the cool night air again. How grateful that air was to him now! How sweet it seemed! He drew it in by deep draughts, as if it were wine. For the time he forgot the peril that menaced him—he forgot the shadow of disgrace that hovered over him.
From room to room Frank went, bearing the joyful news, which seemed far too good for belief. Bruce Browning gasped, and dropped down in a limp heap when he heard it, Danny Griswold came near crying for joy. Jack Diamond laughed, and Harry Rattleton danced. All were for sneaking out again and making a night of it, but Frank would not agree to join them. He had not stopped to get out of his wet clothes, and he felt that he had made quite enough of that night.
Merry returned to his room, stripped, and took a rub-down with a coarse towel. That put him in a glow. He opened his window and looked out upon the dark and deserted campus before jumping into bed.
“A little while ago I never dreamed I could be happy again,” he thought; “now my heart is bursting with happiness. Poor old Rudge! I do not wonder that he hates me. Let him get his revenge if he can. I shall be well satisfied to defend myself as far as possible, and I shall make no effort to strike back.”