CHAPTER II

BRASS MEETS GOLD

Neither Dick nor Greg took the trouble to answer the greeting.
Dodge's outstretched hand both cadets affected not to see.

As it happened, few of the others present noted this brief little
scene.

A natural break in the crowd left Dick alone for the moment, with
Holmes standing not far away and looking coldly in the direction
of the ex-cadet, yet not appearing to see him at all.

"Well, what's the matter?" hissed Dodge in an undertone that the
other guests did not hear. "Are you going to make a fool of
yourself, Prescott?"

"You'd better execute a right-about face and make double-time
away from here," replied Dick in a freezing undertone. "Otherwise
I don't believe the guests will fail to observe how West Pointers
regard a convicted sneak."

"Are you going to open your mouth and do a lot of talking?" whispered
Dodge menacingly. "Or are you going to keep your tongue behind
your teeth?"

"I can't undertake to lower myself by making any promises to a
sneak," retorted Dick, still in an undertone. "But I warn you
that any further conversation I have with you will be carried
on in ordinary conversational tones. And if you undertake to
remain, we shall be obliged to inform our hostess that we regret
our inability to stay any longer."

Conscious that others were probably looking their way, Bert Dodge
tried to make his face as expressionless as possible.

"See here, Prescott-----" the fellow began coaxingly.

But Dick turned and walked away. Greg, very stiff and straight,
moved at his friend's side.

Afraid of what others might notice, Dodge passed on. He presently
reached a door leading into the hallway. Here he remained briefly.
Then, when he believed himself to be unobserved, he slipped out, took
his hat and got away.

A few minutes later, as Dick and Greg passed the door of a little
reception room, Susie Sharp called them in quietly. They found
her there alone.

"Oh, Mr. Prescott! Mr. Holmes! Have I made any mistake, I thought
it would be a pleasant surprise to you both if I had Mr. Dodge here
to meet you, as you all three were classmates at West Point. But I
should have remembered that in the old High School days you two and
Mr. Dodge were not the best of friends."

There was an agitated catch in Susie's voice. Their young hostess
was worried by the thought that she had invited jarring elements
to meet.

"Why, to be candid, I don't believe Dodge eve