CHAPTER XXIII
ROBERT RESIGNS
"Didn't I tole yo' so, suh? That other man was Mistah Harry Blunt, suh;didn't yo' hear Mistah Stonewell call him Harry, suh? An' suppose disole niggah had done tole the commandan' that Mistah Stonewell, thefines' gemman in the 'Cademy, and Mistah Harry Blunt, the son of Capt'inBlunt, were stealin' zamnations, what would have happened ter ole Grice?He'd been 'cused of lyin', yo' knows dat, Mistah Drake. I known ferseberal months dat Mistah Harry Blunt been goin' about town incibilians' close, but I ben feared to tole any one. Ain't I right,Mistah Drake? We done catched 'em, suh, an' yo' is evidence that oleGrice done tole de truf."
With horror in his heart, and almost unmanned by the situation which hadso suddenly burst upon him, Robert was speechless. He was confused,entirely confounded. That one of these unprincipled midshipmen wasHarry Blunt did not surprise Robert; he was quite ready to believeanything of that young man. But it brought him into an intenselydisagreeable position. He knew he would be called upon for evidence, andto give testimony that would cover all of the Blunt family withignominious disgrace--that family who had rescued his own father andmother from absolute want, which had put his father in aself-respecting, self-supporting position. "I had rather bilge than doit," thought our cadet lieutenant. Wild bitterness toward Harry Bluntfilled his mind. And yet these feelings sank to small dimensionscompared to those concerning Stonewell. Faith in everything seemed to belost with faith and trust lost in this old friend. And combined withthis was a feeling of inexpressible amazement, amazement made up of manydifferent things.
Robert was astonished that any reason could have existed which wouldhave induced Stonewell to join Harry Blunt in such an enterprise. In ahelpless, uncertain way, Robert imagined that Blunt had some hold overStonewell, and even this was hard to believe. "But how else can Iaccount for it?" he asked himself. "I never would have believed anybody,or any number of people had they told me they had seen Stone dothis--but it was Stone--in his uniform with his five stripes on hissleeve."
Had Robert known of a conversation between the two intruders after theyhad dashed out of the building, he would have been still more amazed."It's too bad, Stonewell," said the one; "you did it all for me--no manever did so much for me as you have. But I'm afraid you were recognized;I wish you hadn't had on that uniform and had some disguise. I'm awfullysorry I got you into this."
"Don't feel that way, Harry; I suggested it," replied the other. "I hopeI was not recognized. But if I were, I will have to stand for it. Didyou see anybody in the room?"
"No," answered Harry; "my one hope is that whoever it was didn't seeyou; nobody would have known me. Good-night; I'll be around to ConduitStreet to-morrow afternoon and will tell you of any talk I may hear."
Now that old Grice's mind was easy in regard to himself he was muchconcerned about Robert.
"Doan yo' feel bad, Mistah Drake. The commerdan' will think yo' is asmart young gemman when yo' report this; he won' think yo' had nuffin'to do with it yo'self. I'ze gwine ter tell him I couldn't hev detectedthe gemmen ef it hadn't been fer yo', an' he'll give yo' MistahStonewell's five stripes, suah as yo' is bawn, he will, suh."
Grice rolled his eyes in ecstasy. He imagined he too would receivepraise and reward for what he had done, and now he was quite happy.
"Shut up," cried Robert, annoyed beyond endurance at his rambling. Andwithout another word, or so much as a glance at Grice, he slowly walkedaway and returned to his room. He feared yet hoped he might findStonewell there. "If I could only see Stone," he thought, "I'd surelylearn some excuse for him. But why did he do this? Why did he pretend togo to Washington? Why should he engage in such an affair with HarryBlunt?" Countless other questions crowded themselves into Robert'smind, but to not one could he find a suitable answer.
He found his room empty, nor was there any evidence that Stonewell hadbeen there. Robert paced restlessly up and down the room in troubledthought, and as the minutes dragged on he grew more and more hopeless.
"Well, I'm done for, as well as Stone and Harry Blunt. I suppose Gricewill report this matter, and I'll be called up; I'll have to give myevidence against Stone and Blunt or else be bilged myself. Well, I'llbilge. I can't help what Stone has done; I could never be happy if myevidence were to dismiss him. As for that Blunt, who got him intothis--well, he's the son of Captain Blunt, and Helen's brother. I nevercould convince them I was not an ungrateful cur. No, Stone and I willboth bilge together; but I wonder if Stone isn't now in Blunt'sroom----" and Robert stopped short.
It was now after midnight, and all the midshipmen were back from havingescorted their partners to their homes. Robert looked out in thecorridor and saw that the midshipman in charge of the floor had left hisdesk.
"The men on duty are turned in; I'll go to Blunt's room and see if Stoneis there."
Robert darted through the corridor. Turning a corner near where HarryBlunt's room was he saw that young man just entering it. Robert jumpedin after him.
"Where is Stonewell?" he savagely demanded.
When Blunt saw who his midnight visitor was he was visibly startled.
"Why--why--how should I know?" he stammered.
"You hound, you----" cried Robert. "Tell me where Stonewell is! Do youhear me? Tell me where Stonewell is!" And Robert seized him by botharms.
"I--I don't know--I haven't seen him for some time," faltered HarryBlunt, with a white face, in which fear was but too plainly depicted.
From the overhead transom light from a corridor lamp streamed in, and onthe table in the room were three burning candles.
Robert looked suspiciously at Harry. In the latter's arms was a bundleof clothing. Robert suddenly grabbed this and opened it up. It wascomposed of a dark sack coat, out of which two articles fell to thefloor. Robert picked them up and instantly recognized them. One was abrown slouch hat and the other a false beard. In an agony of bitternessand hate Robert completely lost control of himself. He grabbed Harry andshook him violently and then dashed him against the wall.
"You contemptible cur," he cried. "For the last time, will you tell mewhere Stonewell is?"
"I don't know," sullenly replied Harry.
"Do you expect to see him again to-night?"
"I do not."
Robert looked at him utterly without belief.
"Drake," implored Harry, "if you report me for this you will bilge me;you know how that will affect my people; I suppose it is your duty toreport me, but if you do only one thing can happen to me. I will bedismissed; you know that as well as I do."
Robert looked at him with contempt, and left the room.
The long night passed slowly, but it brought no sleep or rest to theoverwrought nerves of Robert. He went to bed and tossed about in anagony.
"Oh, that Stonewell would only come," was Robert's thought, repeatedcountless times. But Stonewell did not come. The moonlight faded away;the silence was broken only by the striking of bells and the monotonouscall of sentries. The first gleam of dawn found Robert still wide awake,hopeless and dejected. Mechanically he prepared his room and himself forSunday inspection. Finally reveille was sounded, the gun thundered andBancroft Hall burst into life. Later came breakfast formation andRobert, against his inclination, had to mix with the other midshipmen.
"What's the matter, Bob?" inquired Peters, with friendly concern;"you're not looking well."
"Oh, I'm all right," impatiently answered Robert. Then came breakfast,which seemed interminable. Robert sat at his table's head longing forthe order "rise." Food would have choked him; he gulped down a cup ofcoffee, and sat idly drumming the table.
After breakfast Glassfell came up to him. "Look here, Bob, what'sbothering you?" he asked with real solicitude. "You're not yourself thismorning, old chap. What's the trouble?"
"Have you seen Stonewell?" abruptly asked Robert.
"By jingo!" exclaimed Glassfell. "Last night I could have sworn I sawStonewell pass me. I was on Main Street, and a midshipman with somestripes, and I thought a good many
, passed me in a great hurry andturned into Conduit Street. It was dark and yet at the time I had nothought but that it was Stonewell. 'Hello, Stone!' I called out; 'Ithought you were in Washington;' but the fellow paid no attention to me.He seemed to be in a hurry, almost running. Then I concluded I must havebeen mistaken, because I knew Stone was in Washington, and it was prettydark. The thing bothered me a bit for the time, but I must have beenmistaken. I had taken my partner home from the Armory and was on my wayback. It was about half-past eleven, I think. But why do you ask meabout Stone? He won't be back from Washington until ten this morning."
"If you see him tell him I'm looking for him," and Robert turned away.He now wanted to be by himself. He went in one of the wing corridors andlooked out of the window, hardly replying to different salutations ofmidshipmen who passed him. Outside it was raining, one of thosetenacious rains that seem determined to last throughout the day.Overhead were spread heavy dark forbidding clouds; the day was gloomyand hopeless, but not nearly so much so as felt this midshipman.
After a while one stroke of the bell told Robert it was half-past eight,and soon he saw the commandant's tall form, wrapped up in a great rubbercoat, come down the walk. Some time later he saw two figures emerge fromthe trees that line the main walk; one he recognized as that ofCommander Beckwith, the head of the Department of Mathematics, theother, of low figure and shambling walk, he instantly recognized as thatof old Grice. With throbbing heart, Robert watched them until theydisappeared into the commandant's office; then the cadet lieutenantwent to his room.
It was evident to him that Grice had told his story to CommanderBeckwith and the latter was now talking with the commandant about it.Robert waited for the summons he knew was coming, to appear before thecommandant. Thoughts came surging through his brain. Sooner than testifyagainst Stonewell he would accept dismissal. And likewise, in spite ofhis bitter dislike toward Harry Blunt, before he would bring disgraceupon the dear friends who had done so much for him, he would acceptdismissal. Robert, with a steady mind, without hesitation, determined onthis stand. He now knew his last moment of inaction had arrived. Notthat he had any hope or expectation of saving either Stonewell or Blunt,but that he should be the means of their disgrace and dismissal was anunbearable thought. It were far better to bilge.
Steps were heard in the corridor and Farnum appeared at his door.
"Hello, Bob," he said, "the commandant wants to see you right away. He'sin his office."
"All right, Farnum, I'll start in a moment." And then taking a sheet ofofficial paper, and hurriedly heading it, he wrote:
"I hereby tender my resignation as a midshipman in the naval service."
This he signed, and with it in his hand he walked down the corridor, andwas soon standing before the commandant.