Hector's Inheritance Or the Boys of Smith Institute Part 26

"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 princ.i.p.al, 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!"

CHAPTER XX. HECTOR GAINS A VICTORY.

There were two persons on whom Ben Platt's declaration made a profound impression. These were Jim Smith and his uncle, the learned Socrates.

The latter was surprised, for he was fully persuaded that the charge he had made was a true one, and Hector was a thief. As for Jim, his surprise was of a very disagreeable nature. Knowing as he did that, he himself had taken the money, he was alarmed lest his offense was to be made known, and that the pit which he had digged for another should prove to be provided for himself.

Socrates was the first to speak after taking time to recover himself from his surprise.

"This is a very extraordinary statement, Platt," he said. "You say you can prove Roscoe's innocence?"

"Yes, sir," answered Platt, firmly.

"I wish no trifling here, sir," said the princ.i.p.al, sharply. "I myself found the wallet in Roscoe's pocket."

"Yes, sir," answered Ben Platt, "I know it was there."

"You knew it was there!" repeated Socrates. "How did you know it was there?"

"Because I saw it put in."

Here Jim Smith's face turned from red to pale, and he moved about uneasily in his seat. "Could Ben Platt have been hidden somewhere in the room?" he asked himself, "If so, what was he to do?" There was but one answer to this question. He must brazen it out, and boldly contradict the witness. But he would bide his time. He would wait to hear what Ben had to say.

"Did you put it in yourself?" asked Socrates, savagely.

"No, Mr. Smith, I didn't put it in," answered Ben, indignantly.

"None of your impudence, sir!" said the schoolmaster, irritated.

"I merely answered your question and defended myself," answered Ben.

There was a little murmur among the pupils, showing that their sympathy was with the boy who had been so causelessly accused by the princ.i.p.al.

"Silence!" exclaimed Socrates, annoyed. "Now," he continued, turning to Ben, "since you know who put the wallet into Roscoe's pocket--a very remarkable statement, by the way--will you deign to inform me who did it?"

"James Smith did it!" said Ben, looking over to the princ.i.p.al's nephew, who was half expecting such an attack.

"It's a base lie!" cried Jim, but his face was blanched, his manner was nervous and confused, and he looked guilty, if he were not so.

"My nephew?" asked Socrates, flurried.

"Yes, sir."

"It isn't so, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, excited. "I'll lick you, Ben Platt, when we get out of school."

"You forget yourself, James," said Socrates, with a mildness he would not have employed with any other pupil.

"I beg your pardon, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, with contrition, "but I can't be silent when I am accused of things I don't do."

"To be sure, you have some excuse, but you should remember the respect you owe to me. Then you did not do it?"

"Certainly not, sir."

"So it appears, Platt, that you have brought a false charge against your fellow-pupil," said Mr. Smith, severely. "I can conceive of nothing meaner."

"Mr. Smith," said Hector, "what right have you to say that the charge is false? Is it the denial of your nephew? If he took the wallet he would, of course, deny it."

"So would you!" retorted Socrates.

"No one saw me conceal it," said Hector, significantly.

Then Wilkins rose.

"Mr. Smith," he said, "I have some evidence to offer."

"Out with it, sir," said the princ.i.p.al, angrily, for he was fighting against an inward conviction that his nephew was really the guilty party.

"I was walking along the corridor about the time Platt speaks of Smith's visit to Roscoe's room, and I met your nephew walking in the opposite direction. When I entered the room, Platt told me that, half-concealed by the closet door, he had seen Jim Smith enter and thrust the wallet into Roscoe's pocket. Soon after, you and Mrs. Smith came into the room, guided by your nephew, who let you know just where the wallet was hidden. He had very good reasons for knowing," added Wilkins.

If a look would have annihilated Wilkins, the look directed towards him by Jim Smith would have had that effect.

"It's a conspiracy against me, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, intent upon brazening it out. "They're all in league together."

"The testimony of Wilkins doesn't amount to much!" said Mr. Smith. "He may have seen James in the corridor, but that is by no means a part of his complicity in this affair."