It was generally after vespers that Mr. Smith communicated to the school
anything which he desired to call to their attention. This was to be the
occasion of bringing our hero into disgrace.
The boys assembled, most of them quite ignorant that anything
exceptional was to occur. Hector himself, the person chiefly interested,
was entirely unconscious that he was to be made “a shining mark” for
the arrows of suspicion and obloquy. If he had noticed the peculiar and
triumphantly malicious looks with which Jim Smith, the bully and tyrant,
whom he had humiliated and deposed, regarded him, he might have been led
to infer that some misfortune was in store for him. But these looks he
did not chance to notice.
There were two other boys, however, who did notice them. These were Ben
Platt and Wil-kins, who had very good reasons, as we know, for doing so.
“I believe old Sock is going to pitch into Roscoe at vespers,” said Ben,
in a whisper, to his roommate.
“So do I. There’s a look about him like that of a tiger about to pounce
on his prey.”
“Or a cat with murderous designs on a mouse.”
“We must expose the whole thing.”
“Of course.”
“Won’t Jim be mad?”
“Let him! He won’t dare to thrash us while Roscoe is round.”
There was, indeed, about Socrates Smith an air of mystery, portentous
and suggestive. He looked like one meditating a coup d’etat, or,
perhaps, it might better be said, a coup de main, as the hand is with
schoolmasters, generally, the instrument of attack.
When the proper time arrived, Mr. Smith cleared his throat, as he always
did before beginning to speak.
“Boys,” he said, “I have an important, and I may say, a painful,
communication to make to you.”
All the boys looked at each other in curiosity, except the three who
were already in the secret.
“You know, boys,” continued Socrates, “how proud I am of this institute,
how zealous I am for its good reputation, how unwearied I am in my
efforts for your progress and welfare.”
Mr. Smith’s unwearied efforts were largely in the line of making out and
receipting bills for tuition, and it may be said that this was to him by
far the most agreeable of the duties he undertook to perform.
“I have been proud of my pupils,” continued the principal, “and it has
given me pleasure to reflect that you all reflected credit, more or
less, upon my teaching. I have, also, sought to form your manners, to
train you to fill the positions which Providence may have in store for
you. In a word, while from time to time you may have indulged in little
escapades, slightly-culpable, I have felt that you were all gentlemen.”
“What in the world does he mean?” thought more than one puzzled boy.
“What is all this leading to?”
Among those to whom this thought occurred, was Hector Roscoe, who was
very far from conjecturing that all this long preamble was to introduce
an attack upon him.
“But,” proceeded Socrates, after a pause, “I have this afternoon been
painfully undeceived. I have learned, with inexpressible pain, that
Smith Institute has received an ineffaceable stigma.”
“Old Sock is getting eloquent!” whispered Ben Platt.
“I have learned,” continued Socrates, with tragic intensity, “that I
have nourished a viper in my bosom! I have learned that we have a thief
among us!”
This declaration was greeted with a buzz of astonishment. Each boy
looked at his next door neighbor as if to inquire, “Is it you?”
Each one, except the three who were behind the scenes. Of these, Jim
Smith, with an air of supreme satisfaction, looked in a sidelong way at
Hector, unconscious the while that two pairs of eyes--those of Wilkins
and Ben Platt--were fixed upon him.
“I thought you would be surprised,” said the principal, “except, of
course, the miserable criminal. But I will not keep you in suspense.
To-day, by inadvertence, I left my wallet, containing a considerable
sum of money, on the bureau in my chamber. An hour later, discovering
my loss, I went upstairs, but the wallet was gone. It had mysteriously
disappeared. I was at a loss to understand this at first, but I soon
found a clew. I ascertained that a boy--a boy who is presently one of
the pupils of Smith Institute--had entered my chamber, had appropriated
the wallet, had carried it to his dormitory, and there had slyly
concealed it in the pocket of a pair of pants. Doubtless, he thought his
theft would not be discovered, but it was, and I myself discovered the
missing wallet in its place of concealment.”
Here Mr. Smith paused, and it is needless to say that the schoolroom
was a scene of great excitement. His tone was so impressive, and
his statement so detailed, that no one could doubt that he had most
convincing evidence of the absolute accuracy of what he said.
“Who was it?” every boy had it on his lips to inquire.
“Three hours have elapsed since my discovery,” continued Mr. Smith.
“During that time I have felt unnerved. I have, however, written and
posted an account of this terrible discovery to the friends of the pupil
who has so disgraced himself and the school.”
Ben Platt and Wilkins exchanged glances of indignation. They felt that
Mr. Smith had been guilty of a piece of outrageous injustice in acting
thus before he had apprised the supposed offender of the charge against
him, and heard his defense. Both boys decided that they would not spare
Jim Smith, but at all hazards expose the contemptible plot which he had
contrived against his schoolfellow.
“I waited, however, till I was somewhat more calm before laying the
matter before you. I know you will all be anxious to know the name of
the boy who has brought disgrace upon the school to which you belong,
and I am prepared to reveal it to you. Hector Roscoe, stand up!”
If a flash of lightning had struck him where he sat, Hector could not
have been more astonished. For a moment he was struck dumb, and did not
move.
“Stand up, Hector Roscoe!” repeated the principal. “No wonder you sit
there as if paralyzed. You did not expect that so soon your sin would
find you out.”
Then Hector recovered completely his self-possession. He sprang to his
feet, and not only that, but he strode forward, blazing with passion,
till he stood before Mr. Smith’s desk and confronted him.
“Mr. Smith!” he said, in a ringing tone, “do I understand you to charge
me with stealing a wallet of yours containing money?”
“I do so charge you, and I have complete evidence of the truth of my
charge. What have you to say?”
“What have I to say?” repeated Hector, looking around him proudly and
scornfully. “I have to say that it is an infamous lie!”
“Hold, sir!” exclaimed Socrates, angrily. “Shameless boy, do you intend
to brazen it out? Did I not tell you that I had complete proof of the
truth of the charge?”
“I don’t care what fancied proof you have. I denounce the charge as a
lie.”
“That won’t do, sir! I myself took the wallet from the pocket of your
pantaloons, hanging in the chamber. Mrs. Smith was with me and witnessed
my discovery, and there was another present, one of the pupils of this
institute, who also can testify to the fact. It is useless for you to
deny it!”
“You found the wallet in the pocket of my pantaloons?” asked Hector,
slowly.
“Yes. There can be no doubt about that.”
“Who put it there?” demanded Hector, quickly.
Socrates Smith was staggered, for he had not expected this query from
the accused.
“Who put it there?” he repeated.
“Yes, sir,” continued Hector, firmly. “If the matter is as you state it,
some one has been mean enough to put the wallet into my pocket in order
to implicate me in a theft.”
“Of course you put it there yourself, Roscoe. Your defense is very
lame.”
Hector turned round to his fellow-scholars.
“Boys,” he said, “you have heard the charge that has been made against
me. You know me pretty well by this time. Is there any one of you that
believes it to be true?”
“No! No!” shouted the boys, with one exception. Jim Smith was heard to
say distinctly, “I believe it!”
“Silence in the school!” shouted Socrates. “This is altogether
irregular, and I won’t have it.”
Hector turned to the principal, and said, calmly:
“You see, Mr. Smith, that, in spite of your proof, these boys will not
believe that your charge is well founded.”
“That is neither here nor there, Roscoe. Will anyone step up and prove
your innocence?”
There was another sensation. In the second row back a boy was seen to
rise.
“Mr. Smith,” said Ben Platt, “I can prove Roscoe’s innocence!”