Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point Part 26

"She can see straight!"

"So," continued Greg, "I'm going to drag Laura tonight, and Anstey is going to do the same for Belle."

"And we'll suhtinly see to it that they have, outside of ourselves, of course, the handsomest men in the corps to dance with!" exclaimed Anstey. "If any fine and handsome fellow even tries to get out of it, I'll call him out and fight him stiff, suh!"

"I'm glad you have persuaded the girls to go," nodded d.i.c.k cheerily.

"That will give me a happier evening than anything else could do just now."

"What will you do this evening, d.i.c.k?" asked Greg.

"I? Oh, I'll be busy---and contented at the same time. Tell that to Laura and Belle, please."

Yet it was with a sense of weariness that d.i.c.k turned out for supper formation. There were more pleasant greetings as he moved to his place in ranks, and that made him feel better for the moment.

At his table at cadet mess he was amiably and cheerily included in all the merry conversation that flew around.

Then back to quarters d.i.c.k went, and soon saw Greg and Anstey, looking their spooniest in their full-dress uniforms, depart on the mission of dragging.

Prescott hardly sighed as he moved over to the study table. He read over a score of times the notes the girls had sent him.

Then came an orderly, who handed in a telegram. d.i.c.k opened this with nervous fingers. His eyes lit up when he found that it came from Annapolis. The message read:

_"Dear old d.i.c.k!

You're the straightest fellow on earth! We know. Don't let anybody get your goat!_"

_"Darrin And Dalzell, Third Cla.s.s, U.S. Naval Academy."_

"Dear old Gridley chums!" murmured the cadet, the moisture coming to his eyes. "Yes, they should know me, if anyone does. Those who know me best are all flocking to offer comfort. Then---hang it!---I don't need any. When a fellow's friends all believe in him, what more is there to ask? But I wonder how the news reached Annapolis? I know---Belle has telegraphed Dave. She knew he'd stand by me."

It was a very cheery Prescott to whom Anstey and Holmes returned.

Anstey could remain but an instant, but that instant was enough to cheer the Virginian, the change in Prescott was so great.

In the few moments left before taps sounded, Greg told his chum all he could of the hop, and of the resolute conduct of Laura and Belle in refusing absolutely to be downcast.

"Have you sent any word home?" asked Greg.

"To my father and mother? Not a word! Nor shall I, until this nightmare is all over," breathed d.i.c.k fervently.

"Laura wanted to know," Holmes explained. "Of course Mrs. Bentley had to send some word to her husband, to account for their longer absence, but she cautioned Dr. Bentley not to let a word escape."

To himself, as he reached up to extinguish the light, Greg muttered:

"I believe that unhanged scoundrel, Dodge, will see to it that word reaches Gridley!"

In this conjecture Holmes must have been correct, for, the next forenoon, there came a telegram, full of agony, from Prescott's mother, imploring further particulars at once. Mrs. Prescott's dispatch mentioned a "rumor."

"That's Dodge's dirty work," growled Holmes. "So that fastens the guilt of this whole thing upon him---the dirty dog!"

Yet how to fasten any guilt upon Dodge? Or how force from him any admission that would aid to free Cadet Prescott from the awful charge against him that had now been made official?

That Sunday, Greg, besides paying a long visit in the hotel parlor, and seeing to the dispatch of d.i.c.k's answer to his mother, also called, under permission, at the home of Lieutenant Topham, of the tactical department. Prescott had decided to ask that officer to act as his counsel at the court-martial.

Prescott's case looked simple enough. Nor did the judge-advocate of the court-martial need much time for his preparation of the case. The judge-advocate of a court-martial is the prosecuting officer. Theoretically he is also somewhat in the way of counsel for the defence. It is the judge-advocate's duty to prosecute, it is also his duty to inquire into any particulars that may establish the innocence of the accused man.

Mr. Topham at once consented to act as d.i.c.k's counsel, and entered heartily into the case.

"But I don't mind telling you, Mr. Prescott," continued Lieutenant Topham, as he was talking the matter over with d.i.c.k in the latter's room, "that both sides of the case look to me, at present, like blank walls. It won't be enough to clear you of the charge as far as the action of the court goes. We must do everything in our power to remove the slightest taint from your name, or your position with your brother cadets will never be quite the same again."

"I know that full well, sir," Cadet Prescott replied with feeling.

"Though the court-martial acquit me, if there lingers any belief among the members of the cadet corps that I was really guilty, then the taint would not only hang over me here, but all through my subsequent career in the Army. It is an actual, all-around verdict of 'not guilty, and couldn't be,' that I crave sir."

"You may depend upon me, Mr. Prescott, to do all in my power for you," promised Lieutenant Topham.

CHAPTER XV

ON TRIAL BY COURT-MARTIAL

Tuesday was the day for the court-martial.

In the Army there is little patience with the law's delays.

A trial must move ahead as promptly as any other detail of the soldier's life. Nothing can hinder a trial but the inability to get all the evidence ready early. In Cadet Prescott's case the evidence seemed so simple as to require no delay whatever.

The weather had been growing warmer within a short time. When d.i.c.k and Greg awoke at sound of reveille, they heard the heavy rain no sign of daylight yet.

When the battalion turned out and formed to march to breakfast a more dispiriting day could not be imagined. The rain was converting deep snow into a dismal flood.

But d.i.c.k barely noticed the weather. He was full of grit, burning with the conviction that he must have a full vindication today.

It was when he returned to barracks and the ranks were broken, that d.i.c.k discovered how many friends he had. Fully twoscore of his cla.s.smates rushed to wring his hand and to wish him the best kind of good luck that day.

Yet at 7.55 the sections marched away to mathematics, philosophy or engineering, according to the cla.s.ses to which the young soldiers belonged.

Then Prescott faced a lonely hour in his room.

"The fellows were mighty good, a lot of them," thought the accused cadet, with his first real sinking feeling that morning. "Yet, if any straw of evidence, this morning, seems really to throw any definite taint upon me, not one of these same fellows would ever again consent to wipe his feet on me!"

Such is the spirit of the cadet corps. Any comrade and brother must be wholly above suspicion where his honor is concerned.

Had d.i.c.k been really guilty he would have been the meanest thing in cadet barracks.

At a little before nine o'clock Lieutenant Topham called. To Cadet Prescott it seemed grimly absurd that he must now go forth in holiday attire of cadet full-dress uniform, white lisle gloves and all---to stand before the court of officers who were to decide whether he was morally fit to remain and a.s.sociate with the other cadets. But it was the regulation that a cadet must go to court, whether as witness or accused, in full-dress uniform.

"I'm going to do my best for you today, Mr. Prescott," declared Lieutenant Topham, as they walked through the area together.

Into the Academic Building counsel and accused stepped, and on to the great trial room in which so many cadets had met their gloomy fates.