In the meantime Cadet Albert Dodge was over in the K.C.’s office, undergoing a rigid questioning.  Dodge freely admitted the episode of handkerchief borrowing but denied any further knowledge.

When Bert returned to barracks he was most bitter against Dick.  To all who would listen to him Dodge freely stated his opinion of a man who would seek to shield his own wrong-doing by throwing suspicion on another.

“There were plenty who saw me borrow the handkerchief,” contended Dodge stormily.  “Whoever saw me take it also saw me return it.  I’ll defy any man to state, under oath, that I returned more than the handkerchief.”

“How did the smear happen to be on your hand?” asked Dunstan, who, besides belonging to the same mathematics section with Prescott was also a warm personal friend.

Bert hesitated, looked uneasy, then replied: 

“How about the smear?  Why—–­I don’t know It may have come from a match.”

“Yes, what about that smear?  How did it come there?” cried Greg, when Dunstan repeated Dodge’s words.

Through Greg’s mind, for hours after that, the question insistently intruded itself: 

“How about that smear?”

Yet the question seemed to lead to nothing.

The next morning, Saturday, it was known, throughout cadet barracks, that a general court-martial order for Prescott would be published that afternoon.

On the one o’clock train from New York came Mrs. Bentley, Laura and Belle.  They entered the bus at the station, and were driven up, across the plain, to the hotel.

After dinner, the girls waited in pleasant expectancy for Dick and Greg to send up their cards.

Greg’s card came up, alone.

Anstey was back in quarters with Dick.

CHAPTER XIV

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.’”