d with credit
wherever he had been placed. But the fates seem against even
that much. Hang it all, what was it that Lieutenant Denton said
about faith and right, and faith being as much the soldier's duty
as honor? I guess he was never placed in just such a fix as mine!"

For, slowly, all of Dick's iron-clad resolution to "stick it out"
was wearing away. It was becoming plainer to him, every day,
that he could not stay in the Army if he were always to live in
Coventry as far as his brother officers were concerned.

"I wonder what the fellows will do at the meeting next Monday
night?" Dick pondered, as he turned and strolled back by another
road. "If the fellows could only realize how unjust they are
without meaning to be! But I can't make them see that. I'll
have to resign, of course, but I promised Lieutenant Denton to
talk it over with him before doing anything of the sort, and I'll
keep my word."

Very absent minded did the young cadet become in the midst of
his perplexed musings. He heard the sound of martial music and
unconsciously his feet moved in quicker time.

It was as though he were marching, led on by he knew not what.

Straight toward the music he moved, with the tread of a soldier
responding to the drums.

Then, at last, when he was almost upon the building, Prescott
came to himself and stopped abruptly.

"Cullum Hall!" he muttered, with a harsh laugh. "The night of
the cadet hop. My classmates are in there, free-hearted and happy,
and taking their lessons in the social graces---while I am on
the outside, the social outcast of the class!"

Yet, as there were no cadets in sight, out at this north end of
the handsome building, Prescott presently moved forward, nearer.

"The old, old story of the beggar on the outside! The man on
the outside, looking in!" muttered Dick with increasing bitterness.
"Yet I may as well look, since there is none to see me or deny me."

Around the north end Dick passed, just as the brilliant music
of the Military Academy orchestra was drawing to its close. In
his misery the young cadet leaned against the face of the building,
behind an angle in the wall.

As he stood there Dick saw the figure of a man flit, by him. The
stranger was dressed in citizen's clothes. There was nothing
suspicions in that, since there is no law to prevent citizens
from visiting the Military Academy. But there was something stealthy
about this stranger's movements.

"It is a