Frank Merriwell's New Comedian Part 45

"Well, this is a mystery!" confessed Hodge. "I saw nothing of the one I meant when I went to look for you."

"It must be you saw no one but that man in the first place."

Bart shook his head, flushing somewhat.

"Do you think I would take that man for a woman with a perfect figure, such as you described? What in the world do you fancy is the matter with my eyes?"

"By gum!" drawled Gallup. "This air business is gittin' too thick fer me. I don't like so much mystery a bit."

"If that man was not the one you meant, Hodge," said Merry, "then the mysterious woman is still on this train."

"That's so," nodded Bart.

"Find her," urged Frank. "I want to get my eyes on her more than ever.

Surely you should be able to find her."

"I'll do it!" cried Bart, jumping up.

Away he went.

Frank remained with Havener and Gallup, talking over the exciting and thrilling adventure and the mystery of it all till Hodge returned. At a glance Merry saw that his college friend had not been successful.

"Well," he said, "did you find her?"

"No," confessed Bart, looking crestfallen. "I went through the entire train, and I looked every pa.s.senger over. The woman I meant is not on this train."

"Then, it must be that your woman was the man who met his death in the river. There is no other explanation of her disappearance. You must give up now, Hodge."

But Hodge would not give up, although he could offer no explanation, and the mystery remained unsolved.

There were numerous stops between Denver and Puelbo, and it was nightfall before the train brought them to their destination. The sun had dropped behind the distant Rockies, and the soft shades of a perfect spring evening were gathering when they drew up at the station in Puelbo.

Lights were beginning to twinkle in windows, and the streets were lighted. "Props" had gone to look after the baggage, and the company was gathered on the platform. Cabmen were seeking to attract fares.

Of a sudden, a cry broke from the lips of Bart Hodge:

"There she is!"

All were startled by his sudden cry. They saw him start from the others, pointing toward a woman who was speaking to a cabman. That woman had left the train and crossed the platform, and she was dressed in black and heavily veiled.

Frank saw her--recognized her.

"By heavens! it is the woman," he exclaimed.

CHAPTER XX.

MAN OR WOMAN.

Into the cab sprang the woman. Slam! the door closed behind her.

Crack!--the whip of the driver fell on the horses, and away went the cab.

"Stop!" shouted Hodge.

Cabby did not heed the command.

Frank made a rush for another cab.

"Follow!" he cried, pointing toward the disappearing vehicle. "I will give you five dollars--ten dollars--if you do not lose sight of that cab!"

"In!" shouted the driver. "I'll earn that ten!"

In Frank plunged, jerking the door to behind him. The cab whirled from the platform with a jerk. Away it flew.

"It will be worth twenty dollars to get a peep beneath that veil!"

muttered Frank Merriwell.

The windows were open. He looked out on one side. He could see nothing of the cab they were pursuing. Back he dodged, and out he popped his head on the other side.

"There it is!"

He felt that he was not mistaken. The fugitive cab was turning a corner at that moment. They were after it closely.

Frank wondered where the woman could have been hidden on the train so that she had escaped observation. He decided that she must have been in one of the toilet rooms.

But what about the veiled man who was disguised as a woman? That man had known Frank--had spoken his name.

It was a double mystery.

The pursuit of the cab continued some distance. At last the cab in advance drew up in front of a hotel, and a man got out!

Merriwell had leaped to the ground, and cabby was down quite as swiftly, saying:

"There, sir, I followed 'em. Ten plunks, please."

The door of the other cab had been closed, and the man was paying the driver. He wore no overcoat, and carried no baggage.

"Fooled!" exclaimed Frank, in disappointment. "You have followed the wrong cab, driver!"

"I followed the one you told me to follow," declared the driver.

"No; you made a mistake."

"Now, don't try that game on me!" growled the man. "It's your way of attempting to get out of paying the tenner you promised."