FRIENDS WHO STAND BY
"Well?" cried Dick, darting up, his eyes shining wildly when Greg
finally threw open the door.
"Oh, bosh!" cried Greg jubilantly. "Do you think those girls
are going to believe anything against you?"
"What did they say?" demanded Dick eagerly.
"Well, of course they were dazed," continued Greg. "In fact,
Mrs. Bentley was the first to speak. What she said was one word,
'Preposterous!'"
"There's a woman aftah my own heart, suh," murmured Anstey.
"Belle got her voice next," continued Greg. "What she said was:
"'You're wrong, Mrs. Bentley. It isn't even preposterous.'"
"Miss Meade surely delighted me, the first time I ever saw her,"
murmured Anstey.
"Laura looked down to hide a few tears," continued Greg. "But
she brushed them away and looked up smiling. 'I'm sorry, sorry,
sorry for Dick's temporary annoyance,' was what Laura said. 'But
of course I know such deceit would be impossible in him, so I
shall stay here until I know that the Military Academy authorities
and the whole world realize how absurd such a suspicion must be.'"
"She's going to remain here?" faltered Dick.
"All three of 'em are. They couldn't be driven off the reservation
by a file of infantry, just now. But both of the girls insisted on
sending you a note. Which will you have first?"
"Don't trifle with me, Greg," begged Prescott.
Anstey rose to go.
"Don't take yourself off, Anstey old fellow. Just pardon me while
I read my notes."
Dick read Laura's note through, thrilling with the absolute faith
that it breathed:
"Dear Dick: Don't be uneasy about us, and don't worry about yourself,
either. I couldn't express what I think about the charges, without
having a man's license of speech! But you know all that I would
write you. Just keep up the good old Gridley grit and smile for
a few days. We are going to be here to attend that court-martial,
and to give you courage from the gallery---but I don't believe
you need a bit. Faithfully, Laura."
Belle's note was much shorter. It ran:
"Dear Dick: What stupid ideas they have of comedy here at West
Point!"
And, as Belle knew that she wasn't and couldn't be Dick's sweetheart,
she had not hesitated to sign herself, "Lovingly, Belle."
Dick passed each note in turn to Anstey.
"Your town suhtinly raises real girls!" was the southerner's quiet
comment.
Dick felt like a new being. He was pacing the floor now, but
in no unpleasant agitation.
"Did you impress the girls with the knowledge that I begged them
to go to the hop tonight?" asked Prescott, stopping short and
eyeing Greg.
"Did you think I'd forget half of my errand, old ramrod?" demanded
Holmes indignantly "I delivered your full request, backed by all
that I could add. At first Mrs. Bentley and Laura were shocked at
the very idea. But Belle broke in with: 'If we didn't go, it would
look as if we were in mourning for some one. We're not. We're just
simply sorry that a poor idea of a farce keeps dear old Dick from
being with us tonight. If we don't go, Dick Prescott will be more
unhappy about it than anyone else in the wide world.'"
"Miss Meade suhtinly doesn't need spectacles," murmured Anstey.
"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 Dick cheerily.
"That will give me a happier evening than anything else could
do just now."
"What will you do this evening, Dick?" 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 Dick 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 Dick 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. Dick opened this
with nervous fingers. His eyes lit up when he found that it came
from Annapolis. The message read:
_"Dear old Dick!
You're the straightest fellow on earth! We
know. Don't let anybody get your goat!_"
_"Darrin And Dalzell,
Third Class,
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 Dick 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 Dick'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 Dick'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 Dick 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.