"‘R. M.,’" muttered the professor. "Now, whose handkerchief is this? It was dropped by the intruder here. It is a clue to the fellow. ‘R. M.’ Can it be——"
He stopped short, appalled by a thought that came to him.
"The boy was here yesterday," he murmured. "Did he see something here that aroused his cupidity? Is it possible he has entered my room in my absence and——"
Again he failed to complete the sentence. Putting the handkerchief out of sight, he closed the door of his room, having lighted a student’s lamp. Then he began an investigation.
In time he discovered that the protest and charges against Dick Merriwell were missing, but nothing else seemed to have been touched. When he made this discovery Professor Gunn sat down by his desk, and the look on his face was one of mingled pain and anger.
"Is it possible," he said, "that I have been mistaken in that boy? Is it possible he is not what I thought him to be? Has he thought to stop the investigation of the charges against him by stealing the paper?
"I am not willing to believe it! There is honesty in his face and in the way he looks one square in the eyes. His brother is the finest young man I ever knew. Yet it looks bad for Dick. I’ll say nothing about this now, but if I find that boy is not what I thought——"
CHAPTER VI.
DICK’S REMARKABLE PLAY.
All unaware of the suspicion that had been aroused against him in the heart of Professor Gunn, Dick Merriwell went about his daily tasks and practised regularly on the football-field. At first he had thought of leaving the academy. He had even started to do so. But his blood cooled, and he resolved to wait and fight it out with his enemies.
His surprise was great when the days slipped by and he heard nothing further of the affair. Several times he was tempted to go to Professor Gunn and demand to know what was being done, but each time he decided to wait.