ast night, and was seen down by Cozzens's gate.
Stanley was the only absentee, hence Stanley would naturally be the man
suspected, but he says he wasn't out of the barracks. The conclusion is
inevitable that he was filling the other fellow's place, and the colonel
is hopping mad. It looks as though there were collusion between them.
Now, Billy, all I've got to say is that the man he's shielding ought to
step forward and relieve him at once. There comes the sentry and I must
go."

Relieve him? Yes; but what means that for me? thinks poor McKay.
Dismissal; a heart break for mother. No! It is too much to face; he must
think it over. He never goes near Stanley all that night. He fears to
meet him, or the morrow. His heart misgives him when he is told that
there has been a long conference in the office. He turns white with
apprehension when they fall in for parade, and he notes that it is
Phillips, their first lieutenant, who draws sword and takes command of
the company; but a few moments later his heart gives one wild bound,
then seems to sink into the ground beneath his feet, when the adjutant
drops the point of his sword, lets it dangle by the gold knot at his
wrist, whips a folded paper from his sash, and far over the plain his
clear young voice proclaims the stern order:

"Cadet Captain Stanley is hereby placed in arrest and confined to his
quarters. Charge--conniving at concealing the absence of a cadet from
inspection after 'taps,' eleven--eleven-fifteen P.M., on the 7th
instant.

"By order of Lieutenant-Colonel Putnam."

CHAPTER VI.

THE LAST DANCE.

The blithest day of all the year has come. The graduating ball takes
place to-night. The Point is thronged with joyous visitors, and yet over
all there hovers a shadow. In the midst of all this gayety and
congratulation there hides a core of sorrow. Voices lower and soft eyes
turn in sympathy when certain sad faces are seen. There is one subject
on which the cadets simply refuse to talk, and there are two of the
graduating class who do not appear at the hotel at all. One is Mr.
McKay, whose absence is alleged to be because of confinements he has to
serve; the other is Philip Stanley, still in close arrest, and the
latter has cancelled his engagements for the ball.

There had been a few days in which Miss McKay, forgetting or having
obtained absolution for her unguarded remarks on the promenade deck of
the steamer, had begun to be seen a great deal with M