on:

"How about that smear of dirt on your hand, Mr. Dodge? How did
it come to be on the back of your hand?"

If Mr. Topham had looked to this question to break the witness
down he was doomed to disappointment.

"I do not know, sir," Dodge replied distinctly. "I am of the
opinion, sir, that it must have come from the blacking on one
of my shoes as I put it on before leaving my room."

There was no more to be gained from Dodge. He was excused. Now,
Dick Prescott rose a was sworn, that he might testify in his own
behalf. Yet he could do no more, under the military rules of
evidence, than to deny any guilty knowledge of the slip of paper,
and to repeat the handkerchief-loaning recital substantially as
Dunstan had given it.

This closed the testimony. The president of the court announced
that a recess of ten minutes would be taken, and that the room
and gallery would be cleared of all except members of the court
and the counsel for the accused.

As Dick turned to leave, he again turned his face toward the gallery.
He saw his Gridley friends and looked bravely into their eyes,
smiling. Then he caught sight of a veiled woman up there, who
had risen, and was moving out. Dicks started; he could not help
it, there was something so strangely familiar in that figure and
carriage.

The cadet witnesses had already left, and we returning to barracks.
Lieutenant Topham touched Prescott's arm and walked with him to
the corridor.

"I shall do my best for you, you may be sure, Mr. Prescott," whispered
the cavalry officer.

"May I ask, sir, what you think of the chances?

"Candidly, it looks to me like almost an even toss-up between
conviction and acquittal."

Dick's face blanched. Then he turned, with starts The veiled
woman was moving toward him with uncertain steps.

"Lieutenant Topham, I did not know my mother was to be present,
but I am almost positive that is she."

Now, the veiled woman came a few steps nearer, looking appealingly
at Dick.

"I am told, sir, that my son is in close arrest," she called,
in a voice that thrilled the cadet. "But I am his mother. May
I speak with him a moment?"

Mother and son were clasped in each other's arms for a moment.
What they said matters little. Then Cadet Richard Prescott
returned to his bleak room in barracks.

CHAPTER XVI

A VERDICT AND A HOP

Then followed days full of suspense for many besides the accused
cadet.

Prescott went mechanically