Frank Merriwells Nobility | Page 5

and wore a red four-in-hand necktie, in which blazed a huge diamond. There were two large solitaire rings on his left hand, and he wore a heavy gold chain strung across his vest.
"Beg your pardon, dear boys," he drawled. "Hope I'm not intruding."
Then he walked in and closed the door.
"My name's Bloodgood," he said--"Raymond Bloodgood. I've seen you fellows together, and you seem like a jolly lot. Heard you singing, you know. Great voices--good singing."
Then he stopped speaking, and they stared at him, wondering what he was driving at. For a moment there was an awkward pause, and then Bloodgood went on:
"I was up pretty late last night, you know. Had a little game in the smoking-room. Plenty of booze, and all that, and I'm awfully rocky to-day. Got a splitting headache. Didn't know but some of you had a bromo seltzer, or something of the sort. You look like a crowd that finds such things handy occasionally."
At this Frank laughed quietly, but Diamond looked angry and indignant.
"What do you take us for?" exclaimed the Virginian, warmly. "Do you think we are a lot of boozers?"
Bloodgood turned on Jack, lifting his eyebrows.
"My dear fellow--" he began.
But Frank put in:
"We have no use for bromo seltzer, as none of us are drinkers."
"Oh, of course not," said the intruder, with something like a sneer. "None of us are drinkers, but then we're all liable to get a little too much sometimes, especially when we sit up late and play poker."
Frank saw that Diamond had taken an instant dislike to the youth with the diamonds and the red necktie, and he felt like averting a storm, even though he did not fancy the manner of the intruder.
"We do not sit up late and play poker," he said.
"Eh? Oh, come off! You're a jolly lot of fellows, and you must have a fling sometimes."
"We can be jolly without drinking or gambling."
"Why, I'm hanged if you don't talk as if you considered it a crime to take a drink or have a little social game!"
Frank felt his blood warm up a bit, but he held himself in hand, as he quietly retorted:
"Intemperance is a crime. I presume there are men who take a drink, as you call it, without being intemperate; but I prefer to let the stuff alone entirely, and then there is no danger of going over the limit."
"And I took you for a sport! That shows how a fellow can be fooled. But you do play poker occasionally. I know that."
"How do you know it, Mr. Bloodgood?"
"By your language. You just spoke of going over the limit. That is a poker term."
"And one used by many people who never played a game of cards in their lives."
"But you have played cards? You have played poker? Can you deny it?"
"If I could, I wouldn't take the trouble, Mr. Bloodgood. I think you have made a mistake in sizing up this crowd."
"Guess I have," sneered the fellow. "You must be members of the Y.M.C.A."
"Say, Frank!" panted Jack; "open the door and let me----"
But Frank checked the hot-headed youth again.
"Steady, Jack! It is not necessary. He will go directly. Mr. Bloodgood, you speak as if it were a disgrace to belong to the Y.M.C.A. That shows your ignorance and narrowness. The Y.M.C.A. is a splendid organization, and it has proved the anchor that has kept many a young man from dashing onto the rocks of destruction. Those who sneer at it should be ashamed of themselves, but, as a rule, they are too bigoted, prejudiced, or narrow-minded to recognize the fact that some of the most manly young men to be found belong to the Y.M.C.A."
Bloodgood laughed.
"And I took you for a sport!" he cried. "By Jove! Never made such a blunder before in all my life! Studying for the ministry, I'll wager! Ha! ha! ha!"
Frank saw that Diamond could not be held in check much longer.
"One last word to you, Mr. Bloodgood," he spoke. "I am not studying for the ministry, and I do not even belong to the Y.M.C.A. If I were doing the one or belonged to the other, I should not be ashamed of it. I don't like you. I can stand a little freshness; in fact, it rather pleases me; but you are altogether too fresh. You are offensive."
Merry flung open the door.
"Good-day, sir."
Bloodgood stepped out, turned round, laughed, and then walked away.
"Hang it, Merriwell!" grated Diamond, as Frank closed the door; "why didn't you let me kick him out onto his neck!"
CHAPTER IV.
WHO IS BLOODGOOD?
Diamond was thoroughly angry. So was Rattleton. In his excitement, Harry said something that caused Frank to turn quickly, and observe:
"Don't use that kind of language, old man, no matter what the provocation. Vulgarity is even lower than profanity."
Harry's face flushed, and he looked intensely