Page:Baseball Joe on the School Nine.djvu/236

222 as if you had a hand In this work." He looked narrowly at Joe.

"I—I, well, it might have happened that way."

"And of the students here, whom would you regard as your enemy?" asked Dr. Fillmore quickly.

"I—I—I must refuse to answer," said Joe firmly. "It would not be fair."

"You mean you won't tell?"

"I can't, Doctor. I haven't any right to assume that the telegram came there that way. I know that I didn't pass very near the statue, either on leaving or coming back to school. The message dropped from my pocket, I'm sure of that, but the wind may have blown it near the statue."

"There was no wind last night," said the proctor severely.

"Then—then" stammered Joe.

"That will do, Matson," said the doctor quietly, and there was sorrow in his voice. "I will not question you further. I am convinced that if you had no hand in the actual overturning of the statue, that you know something of how it was done, or who did it. Are you prepared to tell us?"

"No, sir, I am not. I—can't."