An Annapolis First Classman Part 27

Harry Blunt did so, shamefacedly enough.

"Look at this man; have you ever seen him before?" thundered the commandant, in scornful tones, leaning over his desk.

Stonewell looked at Harry, then at Robert, and then at Captain Blunt.

Again Stonewell said "Ah," and further remarked, "Now I understand."

"Answer my question, sir," fairly shouted Commander Dalton. "Did you ever before see a person who looked as Mr. Blunt does now?"

"Yes, sir. The man who gave three groans for the superintendent and commandant that night in the Colonial Theatre was evidently Mr. Blunt in disguise. I didn't know it at the time, but evidently my roommate did.

This accounts for his past inveterate hostility to Mr. Blunt. He never told me about it, and I have been puzzled at his strong dislike for Mr.

Blunt. From what you have said I imagine that Mr. Blunt was one of the two midshipmen caught by Mr. Drake. I now see what the trouble is. Mr.

Drake will not tell because of his grat.i.tude to Captain Blunt."

"Mr. Stonewell," burst out the commandant, "have you descended to the bottom of the pit of hypocrisy and infamy? Do you add lying to your other crimes, sir?"

"Do I add lying to my other crimes?" repeated Stonewell. "These are strange questions, Captain Dalton; will you please tell me in what way I have been infamous and a hypocrite? What are those other crimes, and in what respect have I lied?" Indignation with ringing force was in Stonewell's voice as he looked steadily and unflinchingly at the commandant.

"Grice," said Captain Dalton, turning to the negro, "did you and Mr.

Drake see Mr. Blunt trying to steal an examination last night?"

"Yes, sir," eagerly replied Grice; "we done catched him, suh, an' Mistah Stonewell was with him, suh; Mistah Drake wasn't six feet from Mistah Stonewell when I turned on de 'lectric light, suh; dere ain't no mistake, capting. Mistah Harry Blunt was dere disguised, but I knowed 'im. An' Mistah Stonewell was dere; he wuz in his unerform, gold stripes an' all."

"Mr. Drake," said the commandant turning to Robert, "I will once more order you either to deny that Mr. Stonewell was there last night or to admit it."

Robert looked at his beloved friend. Never had Stonewell appeared more manly, more forceful. Character and greatness of soul seemed to radiate from him, and it almost seemed that midshipman though he was, the others present were dwarfed into insignificance.

With unmoved expression and with a clear, straightforward gaze Stonewell returned Robert's look, and smiled; smiled as though to a.s.sure him that all was well; Robert felt pity mingle with his deep affection for his erring friend, and confused as he was and knowing that Stonewell was guilty, there was yet something so n.o.ble, so fearless in Stonewell's bearing that a hope leaped up in him that his friend was not without some justification for his act, impossible as it was to imagine what it could be.

"Do you deny that you detected Mr. Stonewell last night trying to steal an examination?"

"As I have resigned I respectfully request to be excused from answering questions," replied Robert in a breaking voice.

"Mr. Stonewell, I shall recommend your immediate dismissal for scandalous conduct, and you too, Mr. Blunt. Mr. Drake will be dismissed for disobedience of orders. Mr. Stonewell, your crimes have found you out. You, the most esteemed midshipman of your time, have turned out to be but a sorry hypocrite, an impostor. You, a shameful, dishonorable man to wear a naval uniform, to represent your country? Never! Oh, that I had never come to this place! What is to be hoped for our navy when the midshipman we are most proud of turns out to be a hypocrite and a cheat?"

The commandant spoke with, warm, intense feeling. He paused for a moment, and then contemptuously said: "You are as brazen as you are false. Your position was so high that I cannot imagine what could have induced you, even though you are devoid of honor, to have so acted. And now that you are found out I cannot help but wonder--I would like to know what excuse, what explanation you can offer, and what your thoughts are at this moment."

While the commandant spoke, Stonewell stood proudly erect before him. He neither cringed nor for a moment took his eyes from the commandant's face. Over at one side stood Robert, now utterly collapsed.

Stonewell fearlessly looked the commandant through and through, and then he looked at Robert. There was almost a break in his voice when in tones showing not a trace of resentment for the commandant's scathing, contemptuous words, but instead full of unutterable affection, he said softly to the commandant, but looking at Robert: "I cannot tell you what my thoughts at this moment are, sir, but I will tell Drake later."

CHAPTER XXVI

COMMANDER DALTON BECOMES ANGRY

"This matter isn't settled yet, sir," continued Stonewell. "A man accused has a right to offer a defense: I insist on that right. First, I am not guilty. I shall have no trouble in proving my innocence. I shall leave your office for a few minutes and will return with the proof of that innocence. And as I have been charged with scandalous acts in the presence of everybody here in your office, I have to request that they all remain until I return and that no further action be taken until I am back."

"Just a moment, Mr. Stonewell," called out the commandant, but the former, paying no attention to this order, hurriedly left the office.

Commander Dalton looked undecided. "I don't understand this at all. Mr.

Stonewell should not have left at this time."

"I think you had better let him go, Dalton; he is ent.i.tled to present a defense if he has one," observed Captain Blunt.

"Of course, but he had the opportunity right here; Blunt, do you wish to question your son?"

"After Mr. Stonewell returns I would like a chance to talk privately with Harry and with Mr. Drake."

"Father," started Harry Blunt, appealingly, "I will admit that----"

"Keep quiet, will you?" interrupted his father fiercely. "Dalton, I don't want my boy to say a word. Look at him; he is entirely unstrung, and in his condition I fear he may be tempted to untruth. Bad as things are, I must save him from that if I can."

"Father," pleaded Harry, imploringly, "let me speak--I deny that----"

"Harry, don't say a word. There is no hurry about this; Dalton, have you any objection to my having a private talk now with my son?"

"None at all, Captain Blunt. Take him into this rear office."

When the captain pa.s.sed Robert on his way to the rear office, he said to him sadly: "Mr. Drake, don't hesitate to tell the facts; you have proved you will not tell an untruth, that you will resign sooner than do so. But don't spoil your whole career by trying to defend one so unworthy as my son has proved to be. And if you have any notion, as implied by Mr. Stonewell's words, that you are under obligations to me, I a.s.sure you there is no such debt; and even if you feel that there is one, I freely absolve you from it. Come, Mr. Drake, have you seen Harry in that disguise? Was he the one guilty of that shameful insult to the superintendent and commandant? Did you detect a person in that disguise in the act of stealing an examination last night? These are now my questions, Mr. Drake, not the commandant's; I beg of you to answer them frankly."

"Thank you, Captain Blunt," replied Robert, huskily; "but I have resigned, and I request to be excused from answering questions." Captain Blunt pa.s.sed out of the room with his son. Commander Beckwith now excused himself for a few minutes, and there remained in the room only Robert, Grice and the commandant. The latter busied himself writing, with never a glance at Robert. Old Grice rolled his eyes, fearfully apprehending some disaster to himself.

All the midshipmen were out of the building, and absolute stillness, save for the mournful tick-tock of the clock, reigned in Bancroft Hall.

Outside the rain came down steadily, and Robert Drake felt burdened with a hopeless sadness. He now fully realized that his silence would in no way help or save Stonewell or Harry Blunt; that its only result would be his own dismissal; and yet there was not in his mind any tinge of regret that he had refused to disclose what he knew. Better to go out and commence over again than to stay in by taking part in the disgrace of Stonewell and Captain Blunt's son. In regard to Stonewell, Robert's mind was in a state of disordered confusion. Stonewell's manner and bearing were at utter variance with the idea of guilt; as much so as had been his previous character. And it was inconceivable that anything imaginable could have induced him to steal an examination. And so the long minutes pa.s.sed with Robert's mind going through a bewildered maze.

Commander Beckwith was the first to return, saying as he came in the door: "I have been with the officer-in-charge; but I see Mr. Stonewell is returning; he'll be here in a moment."

"Come in the office, please," called out the commandant, to Captain Blunt, and when the latter returned accompanied by Harry, he looked about as bewildered and perplexed as he did before he left.

When Stonewell left the commandant's office it was at a dead run.

Outside of Bancroft Hall he gave no heed to the "Keep-off-the-gra.s.s"

signs; he plunged over the lawn toward Maryland Avenue gate at more than football speed. Just outside the gate was a public automobile. He jumped into it crying: "Conduit Street. Rush for your life; I'll double your fare."

When Stonewell returned to the commandant's office, he was followed by another young man in midshipman's uniform. And strange to say the young man's coat had five golden stripes on his sleeve--strange because there is but one cadet commander at a time at the Naval Academy.

"Captain, this is my brother, Frank Stonewell," said Stonewell simply.

"Your brother, Frank Stonewell!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Commander Dalton, in tones of stupefied amazement, "Your brother, Frank Stonewell!" he repeated in the same manner. He looked at Stonewell and then at his brother Frank and was speechless.

"Oh, Stone!" cried Robert Drake, with joy radiating his face. "Oh, Stone, how could I have doubted you?"

"Mr. Drake, I don't blame you for mistaking Mr. Frank Stonewell for his brother; if that is what you did," finally said the commandant; for the likeness of the two brothers was marvelous, and the resemblance even extended to the tones of their voices. They were of the same height and build. Frank Stonewell had the same expression, the same features as had his brother. Seeing them together one could detect a difference, but apart one would certainly be taken for the other.

"I was in Washington last night, sir. I spent the night at the house of my congressman, Mr. Blake. We were talking together between ten and eleven o'clock. You will have no trouble in ascertaining whether or not this statement is correct. My brother was in Annapolis at that time. He has been here for some weeks, living in Conduit Street. I have not told him why he was wanted here nor have we talked about what may have happened last night. Perhaps he may imagine. Whatever he may have done, I believe you may accept his statement as truthful."

"Will you please tell me, sir, what you are doing in that uniform?"