CHAPTER XIII
BEFORE THE FACULTY
I was not kept waiting long. Scarcely five minutes had passed when the door again opened, and Mr. Dikes reappeared.
“Come in, Mr. Elder,” he said quietly.
With considerable trepidation I followed him, and in a few seconds more I stood in the presence of the faculty.
There was an ominous hush as I took my stand in the middle of the room, facing the seven professors who sat opposite me in a row. I looked apprehensively from one to another with a view to ascertaining what was to be the nature of my reception. My glance was not encouraging. Severity was the predominant expression on every countenance. In the center, behind a small table, sat Dr. Drayton, the college president. He was a man habitually sober and impressive in manner, and, at this moment, his face was exceptionally grave. Gazing at me sharply over his glasses, he began:
“Mr. Elder, there was a riot among the students last night, which resulted, as you know, in the destruction of college property. It was conducted in a spirit of open revolt against our laws. Horns were blown, and the old cannons on the front campus were loaded and discharged, breaking a number of windows. Such culpable infringement of our rules has not been known in some time past, and we are determined to sift the matter to the bottom, and punish the offenders to the fullest extent of our laws. Proctor Murray reports that you were one of these offenders. Have you anything to say?”
My voice trembled somewhat as I answered:
“I was among the students on the campus last night.”
“Proctor Murray reports that masks were worn. Is this true?”
“Yes, sir.”