Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point Part 28

Gray had not been a witness to the handkerchief-loaning incident before formation of sections.

"Cadet Dodge!"

Dodge rose and came forward with a distinct swagger. He was plainly conscious of the cadet corporal's chevrons on his sleeve, and plainly regarded himself as a superior type of cadet. He was sworn and questioned about the handkerchief-borrowing incident.

He admitted the borrowing of the handkerchief to wipe a smear of dirt from the back of his hand. As to the condition of the handkerchief at the time of its return, Mr. Dodge stated his present belief that the handkerchief was very loosely rolled up.

Then Lieutenant Topham took the witness over.

"Would the handkerchief, when you handed it back, have held this slip of paper?" questioned Mr. Topham, holding up the slip that had brought about all of Prescott's present trouble.

"It might have, sir, had the paper been crumpled as well."

"Did you hand the handkerchief back with a paper inside of it?"

"Not according to any knowledge of mine, sir."

"Was there a paper in the handkerchief, Mr. Dodge, when Mr. Prescott pa.s.sed his handkerchief to you?"

"To the best of my belief, sir, there was not."

"Now, pay particular heed, if you please Mr. Dodge," requested Lieutenant Topham, fixing his gaze keenly on the witness. Dodge tried not to look apprehensive. "Did you have any paper in your hand while you had Mr. Prescott's handkerchief in your own possession?"

"No, sir," replied Dodge with emphasis.

"Did you, knowingly, pa.s.s the handkerchief back to the accused cadet with any paper inside of it, or touching it in any way?"

"No, sir!"

Lieutenant Topham continued for some seconds to regard Mr. Dodge in silence. The witness began to lose some of his swagger. Then, abruptly, as though firing a pistol, Lieutenant Topham shot out the question:

"How about that smear of dirt on your hand, Mr. Dodge? How did it come to be on the back of your hand?"

If Mr. Topham had looked to this question to break the witness down he was doomed to disappointment.

"I do not know, sir," Dodge replied distinctly. "I am of the opinion, sir, that it must have come from the blacking on one of my shoes as I put it on before leaving my room."

There was no more to be gained from Dodge. He was excused. Now, d.i.c.k Prescott rose a was sworn, that he might testify in his own behalf. Yet he could do no more, under the military rules of evidence, than to deny any guilty knowledge of the slip of paper, and to repeat the handkerchief-loaning recital substantially as Dunstan had given it.

This closed the testimony. The president of the court announced that a recess of ten minutes would be taken, and that the room and gallery would be cleared of all except members of the court and the counsel for the accused.

As d.i.c.k turned to leave, he again turned his face toward the gallery.

He saw his Gridley friends and looked bravely into their eyes, smiling. Then he caught sight of a veiled woman up there, who had risen, and was moving out. d.i.c.ks started; he could not help it, there was something so strangely familiar in that figure and carriage.

The cadet witnesses had already left, and we returning to barracks.

Lieutenant Topham touched Prescott's arm and walked with him to the corridor.

"I shall do my best for you, you may be sure, Mr. Prescott," whispered the cavalry officer.

"May I ask, sir, what you think of the chances?

"Candidly, it looks to me like almost an even toss-up between conviction and acquittal."

d.i.c.k's face blanched. Then he turned, with starts The veiled woman was moving toward him with uncertain steps.

"Lieutenant Topham, I did not know my mother was to be present, but I am almost positive that is she."

Now, the veiled woman came a few steps nearer, looking appealingly at d.i.c.k.

"I am told, sir, that my son is in close arrest," she called, in a voice that thrilled the cadet. "But I am his mother. May I speak with him a moment?"

Mother and son were clasped in each other's arms for a moment.

What they said matters little. Then Cadet Richard Prescott returned to his bleak room in barracks.

CHAPTER XVI

A VERDICT AND A HOP

Then followed days full of suspense for many besides the accused cadet.

Prescott went mechanically at his studies, with a dogged determination to get high markings in everything.

Yet over mathematics more than anything, he pored. He fought out his problems in the section room grimly, bent on showing that he could win high marks without the aid of "cribs."

He was still in arrest, and must remain so until the finding of the court-martial---whatever it was---had been duly considered at Was.h.i.+ngton and returned with the President's indors.e.m.e.nt.

All this time d.i.c.k's mother and three faithful Gridley friends remained at the West Point Hotel. d.i.c.k could not go to them; they could not come to him, but notes might pa.s.s. Prescott received these epistles daily, and briefly but appreciatively answered them.

Then he went back furiously to his studies.

Grit could do him little good, except in his studies, if he were fated to remain at West Point. Grit could not help him in the settling of his fate. Either the court-martial had found him guilty, or had found him innocent, and all the courage in the world would not alter the verdict.

In the section room in mathematics, Captain Abbott did not show this cadet any disfavor or the opposite. The instructor's manner and tone with Prescott were the same as with all the other cadets.

When going to formations some of the cadets rather openly avoided Prescott. This cut like a knife. But evidently they believed him probably guilty, and they were ent.i.tled to their opinions.

He must possess himself with patience for a few days; there was nothing else to do.

So the week rolled around again to Sat.u.r.day. Now here were two afternoons when the young cadet might have gone to his mother and friends at the hotel, had he not been in arrest. There was to be a hop that night, but he could not "drag" the girl who had been so staunch and sweet.

On this Sat.u.r.day, when he need not study much, d.i.c.k found himself in a dull rage with his helplessness. The day was bright, clear, cold and sunny, but the young cadet's soul was dark and moody.

Would this suspense never end?

Dinner was to him merely another phase of duty. He had no real appet.i.te; he would have preferred to sit brooding at his study table.

The meal over, the battalion marched back, halting, still in formation, at the north side of barracks near the sally-port.