mark was doing a desperate lot of thinking during that brief walk down to the headquarters building. every one he passed turned to stare at him, but he did not notice that. he knew that in a very short while now the critical moment was coming. texas could not speak for himself; mark must tell his story for him, and save him from disgrace and dismissal if the thing could possibly be done.
the headquarters building lies behind the chapel, just beyond the scene of the runaway. there was still a crowd of people standing around, and mark saw them nod to one another with an "i-told-you-so" look as he turned to enter the superintendent's office.
"oh, just won't he catch it!" thought they.
mark thought so, too, as he entered. a man met him at the door, and without an inquiry or a moment's delay led him to colonel harvey's door and knocked. he evidently knew just why mark came.
the door was opened as the man stepped to it. mark entered and the door shut. he turned, and found himself confronted by the tall and stately officer. mark gazed[pg 104] at him anxiously and found his worst fears confirmed. there was wrath and indignation upon the superintendents' face, a far different look from the one mark had seen there the last time he stood in that office.
colonel harvey started to speak the instant mark entered the room.
"mr. mallory," said he, "will you please have the goodness to explain to me your extraordinary conduct of this morning?"
mark looked him squarely in the eye as he answered, for he knew that he had nothing to be ashamed of.
"i can explain my conduct better," he said, "by explaining that of cadet powers first."
the colonel frowned impatiently.
"i want to know about it; i do not care how. i want to know whatever induced a cadet of this academy to behave in the disgraceful way that you two did this morning."
"i can explain it very easily, sir. it was simply that cadet powers was drunk."
"drunk!" echoed the superintendent.
he started back and stared at mark in amazement. mark returned his look unflinchingly.
"yes, sir," he said. "drunk. you will probably receive a report from the hospital to that effect this afternoon."
[pg 105]"and now," thought mark to himself, "the cat is out of the bag. i wonder what will happen."
the superintendent still continued to gaze at him in consternation.
"and pray," he inquired at last, "were you drunk, too?"
it was a rather bold question, to say the least, and that flashed over the officer's mind a moment later, as he saw the handsome lad in front of him start a trifle and color visibly. he was sorry then that he had said it, and more so when he heard mark's response.
"i have never touched liquor in my life," said the latter, in a low, quiet tone that was a rebuke unspoken.
mark saw a vexed look sweep over the colonel's face, caused by that gentleman's recognition of his own rudeness; and mark's heart bounded at that.
"he'll be extra kind to me now," he thought, "to make up for it. score one point for our side."
"if you please," mark continued, after a moment's pause, "i will tell you the story."
"do," said the colonel, briefly.
"i was in my tent about ten minutes before the accident happened, and a cadet ran in and told me that texas——"
"texas?"
"pardon me. texas is our name for cadet powers.[pg 106] told me that powers was drunk. i set out to find him. the horse which i had i—er—ran away with from the stables. i met powers down the road and i tried to keep him quiet. he broke away from me, and i followed him. you saw the rest."
"i see," said colonel harvey, reflectively. "i see. i am very glad, mr. mallory, to find that you are not as much to blame as i thought. this is a bad business, sir, very bad. it was almost murder, and to all appearances you were as much to blame as the other. but i have no doubt that i shall find your story true."
mark bowed, and waited for the other to continue; the crisis was almost at hand now.
"mr. powers," the colonel went on, "will of course be dismissed at once. and by the way, mr. mallory, you deserve to be congratulated upon your promptness and bravery."
there was a silence after that, and mark, drawing a long breath, was about to go. the superintendent had one thing more to add, however, and it was a singularly fortunate remark at the moment.
"i wish," he said, "that i could reward you."
"you can!"
it burst from mark almost involuntarily, and he sprang forward with eagerness that surprised the other.
[pg 107]"if there is anything you wish," he said, quietly, "anything that i can do, i shall be most happy."
"there is something!" mark cried, speaking rapidly. "there is something. and if you do it i'll never forget it as long as i may live. if you do not—oh!"
mark stopped, unable to express the thought that was in his mind. the colonel saw his agitation.
"what is your wish?" he inquired.
"powers!" cried mark. "he must not be dismissed."
the colonel started then and gazed at him in amazement.
"not be dismissed!" he echoed. "what on earth is powers to you?"
"to me? he is everything that one friend can be to another. i have known him but two months, sir, but in those two months i have come to care more for him than for any human being i have ever known—except my mother. he has stood by me in every danger; he has been as true as ever a friend on earth. he would die for me, sir—you saw what he did to-day. i have seen him do braver things than that, and i know that he has the heart of a lion. if he goes—i—i do not see how i can stay!"
"but, my dear sir," cried the colonel, still surprised, "think of the discipline! you do not know what you ask. i cannot have my cadets carry on in that manner."
[pg 108]"what i have told you no one knows but you and i, and two others i can trust. the surgeon knows it, and that is all. he can call it temporary insanity, sunstroke—a thousand things!"
"that is not the point. it is the man himself, his contempt for authority, for law and order, his lacking the instincts of a gentleman, his——"
"you are mistaken," interrupted mark, forgetting entirely in his excitement that he was talking to the dreaded superintendent. "you were never more mistaken in your life! texas has all the instincts of a gentleman; he has a true heart, sir. but think where he was brought up. he is a cowboy, and to get drunk is the only amusement he knows at home. he has no more idea right now that it is wrong to drink than to eat. his own father, he told me, got him drunk when he was ten years old."
"but, my boy," expostulated the colonel, "i can't have such a man as that here. think of an army officer with such a habit."
"it is not a habit," cried mark. "he did it for fun—he knows no better. and i will guarantee that he does not do it again. if i had only known beforehand he would not have done it this time."
"do you mean to say," demanded the other, "that you have sufficient influence over him to see that he behaves himself?"
[pg 109]"i mean to say just that," responded mark, eagerly, "just that! and i will risk my commission on it, too! i offer you my word of honor as a gentleman that mr. powers will give you his word never to touch another drop of liquor in his life. and there's no man on earth whose promise you could trust more."
mark halted, out of breath and eager. he had said all he could say; he had fired his last cartridge, and could only sit and wait for the result.
"you said you would like to reward me!" he cried. "and oh, if you only knew what a favor you could do! if you will only give him one chance, one chance after he has realized his danger. it is in your power to do it—the secret is yours to keep."
colonel harvey was pacing the room in his agitation; he continued striding up and down for several minutes in thought, while mark gazed at him in suspense and dread.
at last he halted suddenly in front of mark.
"you may go now, mr. mallory," said he. "i must have time to think this over."
mark arose and left the room in silence. he could not tell what might be texas' fate, and yet as he went he could not help thinking that the colonel's hesitation meant nine points won of the ten—thinking that one more chance was to be granted.
