“On the defendant, I should say very positively,” said Professor Loder. “We are striving to maintain our contests on such a high plane that not a breath of suspicion can be cast on the amateur standing of any one who competes in them. This advertisement has thrown serious doubts on the eligibility of Dickinson for the school sports. It is for him to clear himself of suspicion.”
A moment’s silence followed before Mr. Harkins spoke again: “If I may be allowed another word, I should like to add that the principle to be followed is not the maxim of the criminal courts,—‘It is better that nine guilty men escape rather than that one innocent man should suffer,’—but the famous direction of President Grant, ‘Let no guilty man escape!’ Less harm is done by barring five unfairly than by allowing one to compete who has forfeited his privilege.”
“You and I were not so sure about that twenty years ago,” said Dr. Brayton, with a smile. “If you displace a man unjustly, you interfere with the equality of the representation, and the contests are again unfair. What we are after here is the facts in the case. We all agree that this poster raises a reasonable doubt as to the eligibility of Dickinson. Is this all we are to know about it?”
“Mr. Melvin has some counter evidence to put in,” said the chairman.
Dick awoke with a start. He had been so much absorbed in following the argument of the older members of the committee that he had for the moment forgotten the task devolving on him.
“I think I ought to say,” remarked Melvin, as he drew from his pocket the illiterate missive of Michael Ryan, “that this protest was entirely unexpected, and we were allowed a very short time in which to prepare a defence. If we had not heard of it by chance a day or two before the notice came, we should have had absolutely nothing to offer.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” said Professor Loder, looking sharply at McGee. “That seems unfair.”
“We didn’t find it out until late,” said McGee, reddening, “and then we had to call a meeting.”
“We wrote to Ralston immediately,” continued Melvin, “and have received this certificate from the manager of the athletic sports referred to in the poster. If there had been more time, we should probably have more letters to present.”
He handed the scrawl to the chairman, who gave it a glance and passed it to Dr. Brayton. The latter smiled over it and handed it to his neighbor. So it developed smiles as it went the round until all were smiling except Dick, whose face was purple with confusion, but bitterly stern.