The commandant rushed to the closet and threw open the door. It was
absolutely empty. He looked at the windows; all were shut. Professor
Scott and Mr. Moehler were mystified beyond expression.
“Well!” ejaculated Commander Thornton, “this beats me. The explanation
will be simple when Mr. Himski makes it, but I’m willing to believe
now that Mr. Osborn may not have written that line against you, Mr.
Moehler. He certainly didn’t write the words under it.”
“Mr. Himski!” called out the commandant in a loud voice.
“Here, sir,” replied Himski, entering the room.
“Did you write that on Mr. Osborn’s blackboard?”
“I wrote the bottom line, sir, not the one above it.”
“Of course, that’s what I mean. But will you please tell me how you
got into the room to do it? The windows were shut and locked and you
certainly didn’t come through the doorway.”
“I got in exactly as did the person who wrote the line about Mr.
Moehler, and it wasn’t Mr. Osborn, because I saw his board after he
left it, sir. If you will remain here a moment, sir, I will show you
how I did it.”
Himski left the room and in a couple of minutes the door of the closet
opened and he stepped into the recitation room, holding the closet door
open.
The commandant, Professor Scott and Mr. Moehler crowded into it. They
saw that what had been the ceiling of the closet was in reality a
trap-door, which was now raised, and in the closet was a ladder leading
to it.
“How did you discover all this, Mr. Himski?” asked the commandant
sharply.
“When I went into the closet with you, sir, I noticed some marks on the
white wall which could have been made by a ladder leaning against it. I
looked up, threw up a burning match, and observed there was a crack all
around the ceiling and it suddenly occurred to me that the ceiling was
a trap-door. I knew Osborn hadn’t written those words and I was certain
the only way that the man who did could have got into the room was by
the closet. So then I got professor’s pass-key and opened the door
leading to the garret. I found the trap-door and a ladder beside it. By
the garret door I found this piece of wax; some one had been taking an
impression of the lock. You know the rest, sir. It was easy to tiptoe
into the room from the closet without making a noise, write on the
board and get back to the closet without being discovered.”
“By George, Mr. Himski, I have much to thank you for. There must be
some scoundrel here who wants to get Mr. Osborn into trouble!”
“There is, sir, but that’s a long story; I will tell you about that
when you have time to listen to me.”
“Mr. Himski is right about that, captain,” broke in Professor Scott,
who until now had kept silent. “I know something about that myself, and
the former superintendent and your predecessor also knew about it.”
“You have saved me from doing an act of unconscious but cruel
injustice, Mr. Himski, and you have saved a classmate from a terrible
wrong. It is certain that but for what you have done Mr. Osborn must
have been dismissed. I will hear about your story later but now I must
see that section. They are in the hall; send them here.”
In a moment Ralph had marched his section in the room.
“Gentlemen,” began Commander Thornton, “Mr. Osborn did not write those
words concerning Mr. Moehler. The remarks I addressed to him are
entirely withdrawn. Mr. Osborn, I ask your pardon.” The commandant
paused and looked at Ralph.
“I’m so glad you don’t believe I wrote it, captain,” said Ralph huskily.
“Gentlemen, this is a most serious matter and will be investigated. You
are each directed to discuss this matter with no one, not even among
yourselves. You will all be held to a strict accountability should this
order be violated. Fall out, Mr. Osborn; second section leader will
take charge and march the section back to quarters.”
With great kindness the commandant now explained the situation to
Ralph, and the party went to the garret and saw how the whole thing had
been accomplished.
“Now, Mr. Osborn,” Commander Thornton said, “I want you to write out
a complete statement of everything that has happened to you since you
entered the Academy, and describe any trouble you have had with any
one. We will sift this thing to the bottom; and be assured that you
will receive full protection from me. The very fact that we know that
such a wicked thing could be planned to get you into such trouble will
protect you. It means you must be doubly careful in everything you do.”
“Thank you, sir,” cried Ralph, overjoyed that he had such a powerful
friend. “I will be careful, sir. These attacks have come several times
but I have never been able to imagine who wants to harm me.”
“We’ll go into that later, Mr. Osborn. Now don’t worry about it. We’ll
see that no harm comes to you; and we’ll use every effort to find out
who the perpetrator of this act was.”
Ralph returned to his room in a very sober, thoughtful state of mind.
That such deadly, determined hostility from an unknown source should be
manifested toward him was terrifying.
The fact that he could not imagine who was his enemy was maddening.
The blows had been so unexpected and had been aimed with such keen
intelligence and with such inveterate hate that fear took possession
of Ralph’s mind. He knew of no way to guard himself from such a
terrible foe. That he was under the commandant’s special protection was
comforting, yet his mind dwelt upon the hatred that had so relentlessly
pursued him. For a while he was morose and worried and looked upon
everybody except Himski with suspicion.
When he reached his room he commenced his statement to the commandant
and worked feverishly at it. He gave it to Commander Thornton the next
day. In writing it he was entirely undisturbed, for his roommate,
Creelton, was in the hospital with rheumatism. He had been there for
several days.
Some days later Himski was directed to report to the commandant.
“Mr. Himski,” he commenced,--“you must excuse me for not pronouncing
your entire name; it’s a little bit too much for me.”
“Yes, sir, it seems to be for everybody. Every one calls me Himski,
sir; I’m now more used to that than my entire name,” declared Himski.
“Well, we have had a complete investigation; of course you know of part
of it. I am referring to that writing that appeared on Mr. Osborn’s
blackboard.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s too bad; nothing whatever has been learned and we are entirely in
the dark. The only person that Mr. Osborn ever had any trouble with,
except Mr. Moehler, and of course he is out of it, was with a Mr. Short
who was a midshipman for a few days. Did you know about that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“However, that was a long time ago and Mr. Short has disappeared. He
left Annapolis, and from what we have been able to learn, he has not
been here since. Now here is Mr. Osborn’s letter, and here is also the
record of all the evidence that was given before the investigating
board. And also there are some papers written by my predecessor and an
anonymous letter signed: ‘Indignant Fourth Classman.’ The investigating
board’s report exonerates Mr. Osborn and all of the members of his
section, but doesn’t indicate any opinion as to who the culprit may be.
So we are just where we started from and are at sea completely. Now it
has occurred to me that you might help; your perspicacity in showing
how the section room was entered from the closet has so impressed me
that as a last resource I am going to give you this record and these
letters and ask you to study them carefully; if you can find any clue
as to who the guilty party may be I want you to report the fact to me.”
“Very well, sir,” and Himski took the papers and withdrew.
Himski was back in the commandant’s office a few days later with the
papers.
“Have you come to any conclusion?” he was asked.
“Yes, sir, but I hesitate to give it.”
“Why?”
“Because I may be entirely wrong, sir; I may do a classmate an awful
injury.”
“I understand that,” admitted Commander Thornton, aglow with interest,
“but we must pursue every circumstance to wherever it may lead us. I
want you to tell me frankly just what you suspect. This matter will be
entirely confidential between you and me. If your suspicions are wrong
no harm will be done.”
“Well, sir, I have hunted for a motive. No one could desire such
injury toward Mr. Osborn except by a strong motive of revenge. Before
Mr. Osborn came to the Academy he never experienced the enmity of
anybody. That is certain, and since he has been a midshipman there have
been repeated efforts from an unknown source to get him into serious
trouble, to defame and disgrace him.”
“Yes, yes I know,” cut in the commandant impatiently.
“He never has had trouble except with that man Short; Mr. Osborn caused
Short to be dismissed with ignominy, and I have come to the conclusion
that Short was the real author of the dastardly attempts against Mr.
Osborn.”
“I could believe that if Mr. Short had remained at Annapolis; but if he
were the author then he must have had a tool in the Academy.”
“Yes, sir. After coming to this conclusion I have endeavored to learn
everything I could about Short. I knew him, of course; when preparing
for entrance here he rented a furnished house and had four candidates
live with him as his guests. Two of these failed to pass the entrance
examination; one entered but failed last year, so there now remains
at the Academy but one midshipman who was once one of Short’s guests.
Also I learned out in town, Saturday, that Short was seen to enter the
Maryland Hotel the night of the June ball, last year. The livery-stable
keeper saw him and recognized him. And a strange coincidence happened.
After I left the livery-stable last Saturday afternoon which is near
the railway station, I passed a man who was in a great hurry. He had
just alighted from a carriage and was about to go into the station.
This man was Short, I’m certain of it. He wore a heavy mustache but I
know it was Short. I said, ‘Hello, Short!’ And he said: ‘You’ve made a
mistake, mister.’ This proves that Short was in town a few days after
the last attempt was made against Mr. Osborn, and I connect him with
that attempt.”
“But no civilian could have gone about that building, in the corridors
and through the garret without being stopped.”
“No, sir,” and Himski hesitated.
“What is your idea, Mr. Himski?”
The latter spoke very slowly, saying: “But a midshipman could have
without question, sir.”
“By Jove, we’re coming to something. Go on,” and the commandant’s
manner was now excited.
“I hate to go on, sir; I may be injuring an innocent man.”
“Who was Short’s fourth guest, Mr. Himski; the one who is now in the
Academy?”
“Creelton, sir. Mr. Osborn’s roommate.”
“Is that possible? But Mr. Creelton must have returned with his own
section after recitation. The man who went through that closet could
not have marched back with his own section.”
“Mr. Creelton was in sick quarters with rheumatism in one leg; he had
to go to all recitations but did not march in a section. He went to and
from the hospital, as is customary, alone, merely reporting his leaving
and returning.”
“So Mr. Creelton could have done it without attracting attention?”
“Yes, sir.”
The commandant was silent for a while, and then said: “You may be
right, Mr. Himski, but these are small grounds on which to accuse a
man.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now don’t talk of this matter to any one but come to me if you learn
anything that increases or lessens your suspicion. How is Mr. Creelton
thought of in his class?”
“He is rather popular, sir; he spends a lot of money, and is
tremendously generous with it; he stands high in his studies. The
fellows think well of him; on the whole, though, he hasn’t any very
intimate friends.”
“Have you any suggestion to make?”
“Yes, sir; Mr. Osborn is worrying himself sick; he looks upon everybody
with suspicion and I don’t blame him. I suggest he be ordered to room
with me. If Creelton should be the man he will be protected against
him, and anyway I think the effect upon Osborn will be good if he rooms
with me. He is depending a good deal on me at present.”
“I’ll have that done, Mr. Himski. But it’s difficult for me to conceive
the hold Mr. Short could have on any midshipman to compel such
dastardly acts to be done.”