ost joyously volunteer."

"Don't you do anything of the sort," begged Dick quickly. "We
don't want to make any matter worse. Here's the building where
Griffin has his offices. Come; we'll go up and see him."

The two West Pointers were soon in the lawyer's office. Mr. Griffin
was disengaged, and saw the young men at once. This attorney was
rather a new-comer in Gridley. Dick and Greg met him for the first
time. Prescott rather liked the man's appearance.

"Do you want the whole affair discussed before your friend, Mr.
Prescott?" demanded Griffin.

"By all means, sir," Dick responded.

"Very good, then," replied the lawyer, who was still engaged in
studying the faces of both cadets.

Then, while the two West Pointers sat before him, their faces
impassive, Mr. Griffin continued.

"When I was retained on this case I was asked to put the whole
matter before the Grand Jury at its next sitting. It is so very
unusual, however, to have criminal cases against West Point men
that I insisted with my clients that I would not take a decisive
step, Mr. Prescott, until I had first seen you."

"Thank you, sir," nodded Cadet Prescott.

"In brief then," went on the lawyer, "Mr. Dodge and his son Bert
have placed a good deal of sworn evidence in my hands, and they
have instructed me, Prescott, to procure your indictment on a
charge of uttering criminally libelous statements against Bert
Dodge!"

CHAPTER VII

PRESCOTT LAYS A POWDER TRAIL

Greg Holmes turned very white for an instant.

Then a flush rose to his face. He leaped to his feet, his hands
clenched.

"This is an infamous, outrageous, lying-----"

"Thank you, Greg," Prescott broke in coolly. "But will you let
me question Mr. Griffin?"

"Yes," subsided Greg, sinking back into his chair. "I don't know
that I could say any more. It would be merely a change in the words."

Cadet Prescott turned back to the lawyer.

"Mr. Griffin, will you tell me why you sent for me?"

"Because," replied the man of law, "I have some knowledge of the
average West Point material. Frankly, I couldn't wholly credit
this charge against you. I wanted to see you and have a talk
with you, and I so informed the elder Dodge. Unless you can satisfy
me that this is a ridiculous case, or a wholly malicious prosecution,
then I shall feel obliged, as a lawyer, to take up the charges
with the district attorney, after which we shall proceed in the
usual way. But, first o