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."
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CHAPTER XI. TEXAS RAIDS WEST POINT.
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CHAPTER XIII. THE REFORMATION OF TEXAS.
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