Frank Merriwell's Son; Or, A Chip Off the Old Block

by Burt L. Standish

  CHAPTER II.

  THE BIRTHMARK.

  "Where are Bart and Elsie, Frank?" asked Inza.

  "They're in the library."

  "I want them to come up. Tell Lizette to call them."

  The soft-footed nurse flitted from the room, and a few moments laterElsie Bellwood and Bart Hodge appeared. Hodge followed Elsie with an airof reluctance and confusion, which caused Inza to smile.

  In a moment the golden-haired girl was bending over the bed, caressingher bosom friend, and murmuring soft words of affection.

  "You're such a brave, brave woman, Inza!" she exclaimed. "Oh, you makeme feel like a coward!"

  "Come here, Hodge," urged Frank, drawing his friend round to the otherside of the bed. "Here's the boy. Here he is--Frank Hodge Merriwell."

  "Frank Hodge Merriwell?" echoed Bart, fumbling for Merry's hand andgrasping it with an almost savage grip. "You've given him my name?"

  "We did it--both of us together, old man."

  "Merry, I--I don't know what--to say," stammered Bartley. "You'vecompletely upset me. It's the greatest honor----"

  "There, there," smiled Frank, "don't splutter and mumble like that, oldfellow. You don't have to say a word. Just make a bow to the new-bornking."

  Elsie was not one to gush, but, with clasped hands and flushed face, sheexpressed her admiration for the child.

  "You ought to feel proud, Bart," she said. "You ought to feel almost asproud as Frank."

  "Proud?" laughed Hodge. "Why, I--I---- My chest has expanded threeinches in the last thirty seconds. Proud? I'll bet my hat won't fit me!He's a star, the little rascal!"

  "He has ze star on his left shouldaire," said Lizette. "Shall I show it,madame? Shall I show zem ze beautiful mark?"

  "Please do," said Inza.

  The nurse loosened the child's clothes and exposed the small, shapelyshoulder. There, at the very base of the arm, was a small, perfectlyformed pink, five-cornered star.

  "I was right!" cried Hodge. "There's been a wonderful addition to theuniverse! A new star has risen!"

  "It's a birthmark," said Frank.

  "Oh, isn't it very strange!" breathed Elsie. "It gives me asuperstitious feeling of awe. It seems to me that he is marked by fateto be something grand and wonderful."

  "It was so good of you, Elsie, to come to me when I wanted you,"breathed Inza. "And Hodge--he traveled so far."

  "Oh, everything is coming as smoothly as possible at the mines,"declared Bart. "There's a first-class foreman at both the Queen Mysteryand the San Pablo. I could leave as well as not, and the old trainscouldn't run fast enough to bring me here after I received the wire fromFrank, saying that Elsie would be here. You bet I was glad to shake thealkali dust out of my clothes."

  "You've done great things for me at the mines, Bart," said Merry."Everything now seems to be going right for me everywhere in the world.The Central Sonora Railroad is practically completed, and the San Pablois paying enormously. But these are not things to speak of on anoccasion like this."

  After a few minutes Bart and Elsie retired, the nurse took the baby, andFrank lingered a while longer at the side of his wife.

  On returning to the library, Elsie stood at one of the large windows andlooked out upon the grounds and across the broad road toward thehandsome buildings of Farnham Hall. There was a strange expression ofmingled happiness and regret on her fair face. Something like a mistfilled her eyes.

  Hodge came up behind her and put his arms round her.

  "A penny for your thoughts, Elsie," he said.

  "I don't think I could express them in words," she confessed. "Do youthink me a jealous person, Bart?"

  "Jealous?" he exclaimed. "Far from it!"

  "But I am--I'm jealous. I'm dying of envy."

  "You--you jealous--of whom?"

  "Inza. Look how all the best things of life have come to her. She has agrand husband, who is doing a magnificent and noble work. Look at thosesplendid buildings. Every one acknowledges now that Frank has done andis doing more for the upbuilding and the uplifting of American boys thanany person has ever before done in all history. Inza is his wife, andthey have a son."

  Bart's arms dropped at his sides, and he turned away.

  In surprise, Elsie turned and saw him move from her. In a moment she hadhim by the arm.

  "What is it, Bart?" she exclaimed, in dismay.

  He shook his head, seeming unable to speak.

  "Tell me what it is. Tell me what I did to hurt you," she commanded.

  He faced her again, looking deep into her blue eyes.

  "You called up the past, Elsie," he said, in a low tone. "I can't forgetthat once I thought Frank loved you--and you loved him. You've confesseda feeling of jealousy toward Inza."

  "Oh, no, no, no!" she said quickly. "You didn't understand me,Bart--truly you didn't! It was not the sort of jealousy you mean. I'mnot jealous of her because she is Frank's wife--never! never!"

  He seemed puzzled.

  "Then what did you mean--what did you mean?" he asked.

  "Why, can't you understand? Can't you see how it is? Fortune or fate, orwhatever you may call it, has been against me--against us, Bart. Haveyou forgotten how we planned on a double wedding? Have youforgotten----"

  "Forgotten?" cried Hodge. "I should say not! It was the bitterestdisappointment of my life! You know I urged you, Elsie--I used everypersuasion in my power."

  "But I could not consent. I was an invalid, and I feared my health wouldnever return."

  "It has returned, little sweetheart. You're well again. You're strongerand handsomer than ever before in all your life. You put me off then,but you can't do it now! I won't let you!"

  "You mean that----"

  "I mean that when I left Mexico I made a resolve--I swore an oath. If Igo back there--if Frank wants me to go--you will go with me."

  "Bart!"

  "You must go with me," he repeated.

  "Must?"

  "I have said it. Look here, Elsie, I know you're not jealous of Inzabecause Merry is rich."

  "Oh, no, no!"

  "As a rule, I have told you everything, my girl, but I now confess thatthere is one thing that I have not told you. I have a secret."

  "A secret from me?"

  "Yes, a secret from you. You heard Frank state how well the San Pablo ispaying. You heard him say that I had been faithful in my work for him.Perhaps you do not know that ere we entered into an agreement by which Itook charge of his two mines and acted as overseer for both ofthem--perhaps you do not know that we nearly quarreled."

  Elsie looked astounded.

  "Nearly quarreled?" she exclaimed.

  "Yes."

  "Why, how could you?"

  "Because he insisted on a certain condition in our agreement. Because heinsisted that, after a lapse of time and at the completion of theMexican railroad, I should accept a third interest in the San PabloMine. I fought against it. I told him it was not right. I eventhreatened to quit and have nothing to do with the work he wished me toperform. He was inexorable, unyielding. I pointed out that my servicewas not worth what he offered. I showed him that he could getexperienced and expert men to do the work for an infinitesimal part ofwhat he proposed to give me. He asserted that he was not giving me thismerely for my labor, but on account of past favors and things I had donefor him which could not be paid for in money. Even though I did notpermit him to force me into consenting to take this share of his mine, Ifinally remained and did my best. I arrived in Bloomfield three daysago. The day I reached here he placed a paper in my hands. That papermakes me one-third owner of the San Pablo. I'm rich, Elsie. The futureis assured for me and for you. That very day I went to the town clerkand had another paper made out. Here it is."

  He took a document from his pocket, opened it, and placed it in herhands.

  "Why--why, what----" faltered Elsie.

  "It's a marriage license," said Bart. "I've made all arrangements, andto-morrow, God willing, you and I will be made man and wife."

&nbs
p; It was even as Hodge had said. On the morrow, at her request, they weremarried in Inza's chamber.