THE END OF A LONG DAY
"Stone, will you ever forgive me?" asked Robert shamefacedly, as soon as
they had left the commandant's office.
"Forgive you, Bob? Never speak of such a thing! Forgive you for
sacrificing yourself for me? Bob, I can hardly talk about it," and
Stonewell felt such a rush of feeling come over him at the memory of
what Robert was willing to do for him, and of his own affection for his
friend, that it was necessary for him to control himself before he could
continue. "Bob," he finally said, "the whole thing was my fault. I
should have told you about Frank. You are not a bit to blame for
thinking you saw me last night. Well, Bob, there's no use in my thanking
you for your attitude toward me--such actions are away beyond thanks.
It's hard to talk these things over, but I want you to believe one
thing. I'll never forget what you've done for me--never. Bob, I don't
suppose the time will ever come when I will have occasion to show my
appreciation--I don't want it to come, for that would mean
misfortune--and I don't imagine I could possibly show the greatness of
soul you have. But don't you ever look up to me again. I may work out
probs a bit faster than you do, but for greatness of character, for
everything that goes to make up leadership, you are the man of the
class, not I. Why, when I think of you I positively feel small."
Robert laughed happily. "Oh, Stone," he said, "don't talk foolishness.
The whole thing seems like a dream to me now. I was in the most mixed up
state imaginable. I just saw you do it; that's the way I felt. I knew it
was you, and yet I could not realize how it could be you. I thought that
for some unexplainable reason you had determined to help Blunt. But why
should you help Blunt? The whole thing was wholly beyond my
comprehension; and yet I thought I saw you do it. Well, it's all right
now, thank goodness. But what a remarkable resemblance your brother has
to you; not only in features but also in voice."
"Yes, I suppose so; still, such resemblances frequently exist. There is
a rear admiral in our navy that had a son here and another at West Point
at the same time. On one occasion when these two chaps were at home
together, they exchanged uniforms and even the old gentleman himself was
completely fooled. But I'm going to tell you about Frank. He has been at
several schools and colleges and has repeatedly been dismissed. Some
time ago he was expelled from Princeton and came down here. You see he's
afraid of my father and leans somewhat on me. I was intensely disgusted.
He was mixed up in a scrape in which some unpopular professor was left
over night tied up in a room. Now as a matter of fact Frank for once had
no part in this outrage. But he was suspected and accused--it's a long
story; I won't go into that, Bob. He denied it, but was not believed,
and was dismissed; if he were not guilty it was evident he knew who the
guilty parties were, and he refused to divulge their names. So he came
to Annapolis, and for this thing to occur just before our graduation was
extremely unpleasant to me. I just couldn't talk about him, but I used
to go out to see him. A short time ago the whole truth came out, and
Frank was exonerated, and then to my surprise he refused to return to
Princeton. He had no good reason, but now I can see that he had become
interested in Bligh. He was stubborn about not going back, and this
surprised me. He never spoke of Bligh; probably the latter had asked him
not to. Finally he demanded an apology from somebody in Princeton who
had accused him of falsehood, and I went up to see what could be done.
But the whole thing, including Frank's stubbornness, was so distasteful
to me that I never spoke of it even to you."
"Gracious, if you'd only told me, Stone;--I hope he'll have no more
trouble. But did you fix matters at Princeton for him?"
"Yes, but his skirts were not entirely clean and he'll have to repeat
his year. I imagine he'll take Bligh back with him--those two have
struck up a great friendship."
"Stone, I'm going to see young Blunt, and apologize to him."
"What for? You've never said a word about him to anybody."
"No, but I've thought a lot. Come along."
"Blunt," said Robert later in the latter's room, "I apologize to you for
imagining you did things which you didn't do."
"Oh, bother your apology, Drake. But, by George, I want to tell you you
are a regular brick. You've a pile of nerve and are all sorts of a good
fellow. And isn't that chap Bligh a trump? Just to think of his using my
cit suit, and his groaning for the supe. Say, that's the best thing that
has ever happened at the Naval Academy," and Blunt burst into a peal of
infectious laughter.
After they left Harry, Stonewell said: "Now, Bob, we are going to call
on Captain Blunt."
"I can't, Stone--you have no notion how awkward I feel."
"Of course you do, but you've got to get over that feeling, and it will
only last a moment."
But Robert didn't feel awkward at all; he had no chance to. He was
received by Mrs. Blunt with a loving cordiality that put him entirely at
his ease. And Helen's manner was as bright and natural as usual.
Captain Blunt said but little, but that little seemed to say, in
addition to the words he spoke: "I approve of this young man; he will be
an honor to the cloth." The fact that Robert had acted under a
misapprehension was not considered. The intent that animated him was
what influenced their feelings.
Nellie Strong, who was visiting with the Blunts, as usual was
tremendously interested in all that happened. "I just knew something was
to occur to you, Robert Drake," she exclaimed. "I never feel safe when
you are around. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if a terrible Turk were to
burst in upon us this minute and carry you off. You're positively
dangerous to have around."
"Nellie, I hear you are to lead our class german with Stonewell," was
Robert's smiling reply.
"Yes, and I'm just delighted over it. Helen Blunt thinks she's the most
important girl in town because she's going to present the flag to your
company; and I'm awfully glad she is, Robert; it's just fine. But I'd
much rather lead the german with Mr. Stonewell. Helen's glory will last
only five minutes--and mine will last for hours. What in the world are
you yawning for, Robert Drake? Don't you find my conversation
interesting enough to keep you awake? One would imagine you hadn't had
many winks of sleep last night."
"I beg your pardon, Nellie," he said. "To tell you the truth now that I
come to think of it, I don't think I had even one wink last night."