Читать книгу Frank Merriwell's Prosperity; or, Toil Has Its Reward онлайн

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It was nearly an hour later that Vance returned to the theater, wearing a bandage over his eye, and having his hat pulled well down to hide the fact.

He was decidedly nervous, and still there was something of triumph in his manner. He did not seem to feel the disgrace of his misfortune as keenly as it had been fancied he would.

“Hang it all,” said Garland, finding an opportunity to speak with Lester alone. “You actually act as if you thought you had come off best in your encounter with Hodge! What ails you?”

“I rather think I’ll come off best in the end,” grinned Lester, in a peculiarly knowing manner.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Yes, you do. I can see a peculiar under-meaning in your manner. What has happened?”

“Nothing that I know about.”

“You did not see Hodge after leaving the theater?”

“Yes.”

“Did? Where?”

“At the hotel.”

“What was he doing?”

“Coming out of a room.”

“What room?”

“Merriwell’s.”

“What had he been doing in there?”

“How do I know?”

Garland looked at Vance steadily for some moments.