of paper," continued Captain Abbott, lifting the slip,
"fell from your handkerchief when you drew it out, just as you
left the blackboard. That was why I asked you to bring it to
me, Mr. Prescott. This paper contains all the salient features
of your demonstration. Can you explain this fact, Mr. Prescott?"

The astounded yearling felt as though his brain were reeling.
He went hot and cold, all in a flash.

In the same moment the other men of the section sat as though
stunned. All lying, deceit and fraud are so utterly detested
at West Point that to a cadet it is incomprehensible how a comrade
can be guilty of such an offence.

It seemed to Prescott like an age ere he could master his voice.

"I never saw that paper, sir, before you asked me to pick it up!"

"But it dropped from under your handkerchief, Mr. Prescott. Can
you account for that?"

"I cannot, sir."

Captain Abbott looked thoughtfully, seriously, at Cadet Richard
Prescott. The instructor had always liked this young man, and
had deemed him worthy of all trust. Yet what did this evidence
show?

In the meantime the cadets sat staring the tops of their desks,
or the covers of their books. The gaze of each man was stony;
so were his feelings.

Prescott, the soul of honor, caught in such a scrape as this!

But there must be some sensible and satisfactory explanation,
thought at least half of the cadets present.

"Have I permission to ask a question, sir?" asked Dick in an almost
hollow voice.

"Proceed, Mr. Prescott."

"Is the paper in my handwriting, sir?"

"It is not," declared the instructor. "Most of it is in typewriting,
with two figures drawn crudely in ink. There are three or four
typewriting machines on the post to which a cadet may find easy
access. You may examine this piece of paper, Mr. Prescott, if
you think that will aid you to throw any light on the matter."

Dick stepped forward, lurching slightly. Most of the silent men
of the section took advantage of this slight distraction to shift
their feet to new positions. The noise grated in that awful silence.

How Dick's hand shook as he reached for the paper. At first his
eyes were too blurred for him to make out clearly what was on
the paper. But at last he made it all out.

"I am very sorry, sir. This paper tells me nothing."

Captain Abbott's gaze was fixed keenly on the young man's face.
White-faced Prescott, shaking and ghastly looking, showed all
the evidence