The Argosy, December 1905 — page 107: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A COLLEGE Ii was not a question of honor; in their agitated minds it was simply a question of safety, and there was safety in silence. Some time or other they would atone for this thing, but not now—not now. Later they would seek out the boy’s parents and make a full confession, but they couldn’t do it now; they simply couldn? Lt Welly the end was not yet. The papers took it up. Hazing was bitterly decried. The countryside rose in bitter indignation. Birdseye’s faculty was wild. But there was more to come; the public authorities took it up, and sleuths canvassed the college buildings and interviewed all the students. The minds of Tomlinson, Jenkins and Whitehead were suffering under the strain. For the hundredth time they put their heads together, and with a decided result. “Fellows,” said Tomlinson, “my mind’s made up. We must make a clean breast of this thing—that’s all there is to it. And we’ll do itin chapel. We'll get up and do it before all the fellows. That’s better than in a stuffy room with the faculty. We’ll tell our story. Then we'll be understood, at least. What do you. say?” They agreed. It was on Thursday morning that their Se was to take effect. On that morning the prendeas rose and made the same appeal that he had made each morning, requesting, nay, demanding, that the students solve this mystery. He had finished, and Tomlinson rose. Tomlinson held out his hand to attract the attention of the president, and started in to speak. But he stopped, with his glance glued to the entrance door behind the platform. - And well might he stare, for suddenly there had entered a young man wearing spectacles, a young man of timid and uncertain manner, a young man who bowed nervously to the faculty, a young man whose name was Charles Augustus Smith. All the students saw him at once. Tomlinson was petrified, but he was CONSPIRACY. quick-witted. He dropped immediately into his seat. “Look! Look!” he exclaimed to Whitehead and Jenkins, who had se- cured places next to him. “ Look at that! Thank heaven!” Mr. Smith, after bowing to the fac- ulty, as a sort of half-way acknowledg- ment of his tardiness, stepped jauntily down the aisle and sought his seat. The president stopped him. “Mr. Smith!” he exclaimed. Smith halted and turned. ** Where—where have you been?” de. manded the president. ‘“‘ Where have you been all these days?” Smith looked in amazement at the president. “T have had,” he responded, “a heavy cold, and I have been laid up. I have been at my cousin’s, sir. My people are in Europe, as you know. [ was compelled to stay out for a day or two. I—I came back as _ soon as [ could.” “Mr. Smith,” said the president, “‘ is it true that you were thrown into the Minnehaha River last Saturday?” Smith nodded vivaciously. “Oh yes,” he answered. “I sup- posed you knew about that. I was, sir, and it was that that laid me up for a day or two.” “Mr. Smith,” thundered the presi- dent, “why has there been so much mystery about this thing? ” Smith seemed bewildered. “Mystery!” he exclaimed, “I knew of no mystery. I was in the river and got out, and had to go somewhere to get over it. I’m sorry to have been away, but I could not help it.” “Mr. Smith,” went on the president, “ I—I must request you at once to point out the men who were your assailants. Do you know who they were? I—I must sift this thing to the bottom.” Charles Augustus Smith smiled. “I doubt, sir,” he said, “ whether I could point them out. However,’ he added, drawing from his pocket a folded newspaper, “the extra edition of the New York Light has illuminated the mystery with their photographs. Here, sir, is the picture.” He handed up the paper. The presi- COMMiICLOOokKks 85 (C@