THE SQUAD ROOM TURNS COLD
ON the listening men the effect of this admission was that of a
bombshell.
Yet, because they were soldiers, they took their bombshell quietly.
Lieutenant Ray was astounded, yet his voice did not quiver as he asked,
briskly:
"Then, Corporal Overton, you admit having addressed the envelope?"
"Yes, sir."
"When?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Don't trifle with me, Corporal!"
"I am not, sir."
"Yet you admit having addressed it?"
"Yes, sir; I believe this to be my writing beyond a doubt. Yet, sir, I
have no recollection of having written this address. All I know is that
it is my handwriting."
"Sergeant, dismiss your men," directed Lieutenant Ray, as he reached out
and took the envelope. "Corporal Overton, you will not leave the room."
"Is the corporal under arrest, sir?" asked Sergeant Hupner, in a quiet
voice.
"No, Sergeant. But I wish to have him immediately at hand, in case the
company, battalion or regimental commanders wish to see him. When the
men fall in for supper formation, if Corporal Overton has not been
summoned by an officer, then let him march to mess with the rest, but he
must return here immediately after the meal."
"Very good, sir."
Lieutenant Ray withdrew, followed by the corporal and privates of the
guard.
"I am not forbidden to speak to other men, am I, Sergeant?" asked Hal
Overton, going directly up to him.
"You are not in any sense in arrest, Corporal," replied Hupner, then
adding, in a lower voice:
"And I hope you'll do some mighty hard thinking, lad, and be able to
give a very straight account about that envelope."
"Sergeant, as I am in no way guilty of any part in the robbery, I do not
believe that there will be much trouble about being able to make an
explanation when I have had time to think."
"I hope you're right, Overton, for I haven't an idea in the world that
you are, or could be, a thief."
"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Sergeant."
Private William Green sat on a stool near the head of his cot, counting
his recovered money for the third time.
"Is it all there, Green?" asked Corporal Hal, going over to the soldier.
"All but the twenty dollars that it is supposed to be shy," replied
Green rather gruffly and without looking up.
"Green, I hope you haven't an idea that I'm the crook," Hal went on.
"Of course not. But there's a stack of appearances against you, just the
same," replied William Green dryly.
"See here!" Hal spoke sharply, the pain ringing in his voice. "Do you
really believe that I stole your money in the first place?"
"I've got most of it back, and I'd rather not express any opinions,
Corporal," was Green's evasive reply.
Just at this instant Corporal Noll Terry joined the pair.
"William," chuckled Noll, "the men have got up a new name for you.
Instead of calling you William Green they're going to nickname you 'Long
Green' after this."
"Let 'em," grunted Private Green briefly, and without a sign of
understanding the slangy joke.
Hal turned away, a choking feeling in his throat, though his outward
demeanor was brave enough.
"Clegg, and the rest of you," began Overton, stopping by a group of the
soldiers, "will you all do your best to try to remember some time when I
may have had occasion to address an envelope to Green?"
Clegg stopped talking with his comrades, half-wheeled about, looked the
young corporal steadily in the eyes, then turned back once more to carry
on his talk with the other soldiers.
Hal Overton's face went deathly pale.
This was the direct cut, the snub, from his mates of the squad room.
After that Hal would make no advances to any man in the room who did not
first signify that he believed in the hapless corporal.
"Don't mind 'em, Hal," muttered Noll soothingly, coming up behind his
bunkie at the far end of the squad room. "They're only human, and you
will have to admit that, just for the moment, all things being taken
into consideration, that appearances do hit you a bit. But the whole
thing will all be straightened out before long."
"Will it?" asked Hal almost listlessly. He had to speak thus, to prevent
the sob in his throat from getting into his voice. For, soldier though
he was, and a rarely good one, he was still only a boy in years, and
this air of suspicion in the squad room made all life look wholly dark
to him.
"Surely all will come right," insisted Noll. "You've plenty of good
friends around here."
"You and Sergeant Hupner," smiled Corporal Overton bitterly. "But at
least, old chap, you two make up in quality what you lack in numbers."
The call for mess formation rang at last. Corporal Hal went to his place
in the company line as briskly as ever.
Just as the men were passing Corporal Hyman hit Hal a clip on the
shoulder.
"Buck up, old spinal trouble!" urged Hyman heartily, in a low voice.
"Don't disappoint every friend and true believer you've got."
There were a few others who were openly friendly in the company mess,
but Hal could force only a few mouthfuls of food and a cup of tea down
his throat that night.
At a little after eight o'clock an orderly of the guard came striding
into the squad room to inform Overton that Colonel North would see him
at the officers' club.
Thither Hal went. When he reported he was directed to a little smoking
room that stood just off the dining room. When Hal knocked and entered
at command he found Colonel North there, flanked by Major Silsbee and B
company's officers.
Colonel North had the accusing envelope and the note in the printed
scrawl in his hand.
"Come in, Corporal," called the regimental commander. "I sent for you to
inquire whether you have yet thought of any way of accounting for this
envelope being in your handwriting."
"I have not, sir," Hal answered.
"Take the envelope and look at it."
Hal Overton obeyed.
"Do you think it likely, Corporal, that the writing on that envelope is
a forged imitation of your own handwriting?"
"It is possible, sir, of course," Hal made frank, direct reply. "Yet,
sir, I am inclined to believe that the writing is really mine."
"Hand me back the envelope. Now, go to the table over there, where you
will find an envelope. Take up the pen and direct another envelope in
just the words that this is addressed."
"I've done so, sir," replied Hal, a moment later.
"Now in the lower corner of the envelope write the words, 'My own
writing, Overton.'"
"Yes, sir; I've done it."
"Bring the envelope to me, Corporal Overton."
Colonel North now compared the writing on the two envelopes, then passed
them to the other officers present, who carefully examined these
exhibits.
"The writings look identical, sir," was Captain Cortland's comment.
"Yes," agreed Major Silsbee. The other younger officers nodded.
"Corporal," went on Colonel North--and now there was a world of real
sympathy in his voice as he looked at this fine young soldier--"this is
a very painful happening. Some slight, surface indications are against
you, but to me it looks as though some one else had hatched up the
circumstances so that they would seem bound to smite you. Of course, to
everyone but yourself, there is a possibility that you may be guilty. It
may please you, however, to know, Corporal, that you still possess the
confidence of all your officers."
"Then, sir, I thank all my officers."
"In this country, Corporal," continued Colonel North, "every man is
presumed innocent until he has been proven guilty. In your own case you
are not only not proven guilty, but you are not even accused. Nor, on
any such evidence as we yet have before us could any accusation be made
with any hope of being able to prove you guilty. I do not for a moment
believe you guilty. You have too fine a record as a soldier for any
such belief to find acceptance without the strongest, most positive
proof."
"There is something that Captain Cortland and I have had in mind to do
for you. The present time, therefore, seems an especially suitable one
for showing the full measure of our confidence in you, Corporal. Of
course, if any evidence came up that would sustain a charge of crime
against you, then what we are thinking of doing could be very easily
undone at need. Corporal Overton, at parade, to-morrow afternoon, your
appointment as sergeant in B company will be announced."
Hal started, colored, then turned pale.
"I--I thank you, sir," he stammered. "But--but----"
"Well, my man?" inquired the colonel kindly.
"Pardon me, sir, but wouldn't the appointment be better made at some
later date?"
"Why?" shot out Colonel North.
"I fear I may not have as much force with a squad room as a sergeant
should have, sir."
"Then you will have to develop that force," replied Colonel North dryly.
"It's in you, I know."
Poor Hal! At any other time this much-wanted promotion would have been
hailed joyfully. Now it seemed almost like wormwood.