JOHN 15:13

With Stonewell's entrance came a silence that was positively painful. The commandant looked at him with undisguised loathing. In Captain Blunt's face woe unutterable was clearly depicted. Harry Blunt, pale and uneasy, regarded him with frightened glance. Robert Drake looked at Stonewell with fascinated gaze; he felt that now the end of all things at the Naval Academy was to happen.

Stonewell, clear-eyed and calm as usual, looked at Robert, and then slowly his eyes traveled and rested upon each person in the room. Never had Stonewell appeared better. In his dignified bearing there was not a single trace of fear or worry. No response was made to his salutation or report. Again he glanced about the room, and getting no response inquired, "What is the matter? Am I intruding?"

"What's the matter?" cried the commandant. "Have you the effrontery to ask what the matter is?"

"I beg to be so informed," replied Stonewell coolly, after a moment's hesitation.

"Read this paper, sir. Do you not know why Mr. Drake has offered his resignation?"

Stonewell read the paper; then looked keenly at Robert, then at Captain Blunt and Harry; things seemed to explain themselves and he merely said, "Ah," as if it were in response to some unspoken thought of his own.

"Where were you last night at eleven o'clock, Mr. Stonewell?"

"In Washington, sir; I spent the day in Princeton, New Jersey, and returned to Washington at seven o'clock."

An angry exclamation left the commandant's lips. Again his closed fist banged the desk.

"Mr. Stonewell!"

"Sir?"

"Last night, shortly after eleven o'clock, Mr. Drake and this man Grice caught two midshipmen in the act of stealing an examination. Mr. Drake knows who these midshipmen are, but resigns rather than give their names. But we know them. One of these midshipmen was disguised. Mr. Blunt, put on your false beard and your hat."

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 gratitude 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 assure 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 noble, 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."