did--that is, he pretended to have. He said he was here to recover
some property that belonged to him--property he lost several years ago."

The eyes of the old professor searched Frank's hands and rested on the
peculiar ring.

"So that was his trick--the scoundrel!" cried Frank, repressing his
anger with difficulty. "I presume he claimed this ring belonged to
him?"

"Well--ahem!--he described such a ring, which he said he had seen on
the hand of a student here."

"Exactly. And he named me as the possessor of the ring?"

"He said the name of the student's father was Charles Conrad Merriwell.
I believe, sir--I am quite sure, in fact--that that was the name of
your father."

Frank was fully aroused, and his brown eyes gleamed in a way that
showed how indignant he was, although it was necessary to keep his
feelings suppressed as far as possible.

"Professor Gunn," he said, swiftly, "that man is a scoundrel!"

"Eh? Ha! Hum! Severe language. Be careful, young man--be cautious.
Do not make a statement you cannot stand behind. It is dangerous--very
dangerous."

"I can stand behind every word I have said. Why, when he found I would
not sell him the ring, professor, he tried to rob me of it! That is
not only the act of a scoundrel, but that of a desperado."

"It looks bad--bad," confessed the old professor, who seemed in a
somewhat nervous and flustered state. "Tell me all about it--give the
full particulars of the occurrence."

Frank did so, telling a straightforward story, to which the professor
listened with interest that was apparent, although he now and then
pressed his hand to his head, as if the pain were troubling him.

When the story was finished, and Frank had explained what he and Bart
had discovered on the black stone set in the ring, the old professor
showed that he was quite wrought up.

"Remarkable!" he exclaimed--"re-e-markable! I am surprised--I am
puzzled. This man told a very straight story--said the ring was stolen
from him in Arizona. He said it was very valuable to him, as it was an
heirloom. He could not tell how it came into your possession--he did
not try. All he wanted was to recover his property--that was all."

"That was his scheme when he found he could not buy it from me. He did
not attempt to make you believe he was a collector of odd rings,
professor, for he knew that would do no good, and so he laid claim to
the ring. What proof did he give you that it was his p