CHAPTER XIX
THE ANONYMOUS LETTER
"Have you seen the _News_?" gasped Jimmie Lee, bursting into the room ofJoe and his chum one afternoon, following some baseball practice. "It'sgreat!"
"You mean have we _heard_ the news; don't you?" questioned Spike. "Youcan hear news, but not see it, that is unless the occurrence which makesnews happens to come under your own observation. Where is your logic,you heathen? _Seen_ news!"
"Yes, that's what I mean!" snapped Jimmie. "I mean have you seen thelast copy of the Yale _News_?"
"No; what is it?" asked Joe quickly. "Something about the baseballnine?"
"No, it's about those musty old manuscripts that got spoiled the timeProfessor Hardee slipped on his doorsteps in the red paint."
"What about 'em?" demanded Joe, thinking of the time he had seen Westonslipping into his room, trying to conceal his hand on which was ascarlet smear. "What's new?"
"Why, it seems that some learned high-brow society wrote on to borrowthem, to prove or disprove something that happened in the time of Moses,and they had to be refused as the sheepskins are illegible. The powersthat be tried to clean off the paint, but it took some of the letteringwith it, and Prof. Hardee and some of his friends are wild over theloss. The _News_ says it's irreparable, and there's even an editorial onit."
"Well, that isn't much that's new," went on Joe, as he took the collegepaper which Jimmie held out to him. "It was known before that theparchments were pretty well on the blink. It's a shame, too, for theyare the only ones in the world of that particular dynasty. What else?"
"Lots," went on Jimmie. "The _News_ hints that a committee of Seniors isworking with Professor Hardee and some of the faculty, trying to findout who was responsible. If they do find out they may make the joker'sfolks pay heavy damages."
"Yes, if they find out," put in Spike. "But it happened some time ago,and they haven't got a hint of it yet. It was a mean trick--I'll saythat--but there are no welchers or squealers at Yale."
"I'm not so sure of that," murmured Jimmie.
"What do you mean?" asked Joe quickly.
"Why this screed goes on to hint that the investigators have a line onwho did it. They have some clews, it seems, and an exposure is hintedat."
"Get out!" cried Joe, thinking of the effect it would have on Westonshould the truth--as Joe thought it--come out. He had half made up hismind to deny everything he had seen, even if questioned.
"That's right," asserted Jimmie. "This article says it may soon be knownwho did the 'dastardly deed'--note the 'dastardly'--guess the editordipped his pen in sulphuric acid. But it was a mean trick, and I guesswe all feel the same way about it. The fellow who did it ought to befired. Fun is fun, and I like it as much as anybody, but this passes thelimits."
"Right!" exclaimed Spike. "But does it say anything about who it mightbe--what class?"
"Oh, it as much as says a Freshman did it, of course--as if we dideverything last year. Anyhow, it's stirred up a lot of talk, I can tellyou. I just came across the campus and the _News_ sold more copies thanever before, I guess. Everyone seems to have one, and they're alltalking about it. I hope if they do find out who did it, that he won'thappen to be any of our crowd--or on the ball nine."
"Why?" asked Spike.
"Why--he'd be expelled, of course, and if it was one of the 'varsitynine it might have a bad effect on winning the championship. We've gotto win that this year."
"Oh, I guess it's mostly talk," asserted Spike, as he read the articleafter Joe had finished. As for Joe he said little. But he thought much.
"Maybe," agreed Jimmie. "And yet it looks as if there was something backof it all. I only hope there isn't. It would be tough for our class tohave to stand for this."
There was more talk along the same line, and, a little later, some otherof the second-year class dropped in and continued the session. Therewere differences of opinion, as might have been expected.
"Well, after all is said and done," came from Bert Fost, who by reasonof weight was ineligible for the nine, but who was an enthusiasticsupporter, "when it's all over, I think we'll wipe Amherst off the map."
"We will--if the nine isn't broken up," declared Jimmie.
"Broken up--what do you mean?" and Bert glared at the questioner.
"I mean that if it's proved that some member of the team did this redpaint business it's all off with him having a chance to play againstAmherst."
"Oh, piffle!" declared Bert. "That punk is written by some lad who'strying to make good on the _News_ so he'll get tapped for Scroll andKeys. Forget it."
But it was not so easily forgotten, for the article seemed to have somedefinite knowledge behind it, and the editorial, thoughstudent-inspired, as all knew, was a sharp one.
"If it really is Weston I'm sorry for him," thought Joe, little thinkinghow near he himself was to danger.
There were new developments the next morning--a certain something in theair as the young men assembled for chapel told that there was about tobe a break. And it came.
"Here comes the Dean!" the whisper went round, when the exercises werenearly over. "Something's going to be cut loose."
The Dean addressed the students. He began mildly, but soon he had almostworked himself up to a dramatic situation. In veiled terms he referredto the red paint outrage, and then, after telling what it meant to havethe valuable manuscripts ruined, he added:
"I assume that you have all seen the article which appears in thecollege paper. With that, though I might, I take no issue. On anotherphase I do.
"I have received an anonymous letter, accusing a certain student of theoutrage. I shall, in this matter, take the course I always do when Ireceive such a cowardly communication as an anonymous letter--I destroyit unread," and, as he spoke the Dean tore into fragments a piece ofpaper. The pieces he carefully put in his pocket, however, with theremark that they would be consigned to the fire unlooked at, as soon aspossible.
"I wonder who was accused?" said Spike.
"I wonder?" added Joe.