 yet for a minute take it easy beginning at the expected of loosening the sense strap on splendor and causing war into fall but lee i i didn't do it i wouldn't do a thing like that i know jerry but it looks like you did now listen the reason you're being called in the major davis's office is for questioning all right all right i know that but there must be something else why do i have to put on my full dress uniform i found out about that too i overheard a couple of upperclassmen talking about it well why won't because it's a formal questioning to see if there's enough evidence against you to make a case out of it uh... case of it what do you mean by that well you might be court martial jerry court martial yes jerry well why should i have to go before court if i didn't do anything well maybe you can clear yourself from the questioning and there won't be any court martial it isn't fairly listen to me you told me yourself that sergeant alden asked you if you were out in the stable and you told me you said yes all right i was out in the stable besides i was in splendor stall i told you that but i only went out to see him and to give him some sugar being there doesn't mean i loosen the saddle you're going to your coat now you believe me don't you leave sure i do i couldn't do a trick like that see henna if you didn't do it don't worry you should be glad there's going to be a questioning every little fine point will come up and you'll most likely be cleared your belt's a little to one side and that's better now take your cap and let's go you don't want to be late okay i'm ready uh smooth your hair down a little before you put your cap on is that better my hair is it all right now oh yes okay jerry now don't talk too loudly on the way over i don't want any of the fellas to hear us put your head up jenna if you're not guilty don't give the impression you are where is that old fight how's this that's the way just think lee i just got my dress uniform the other day and the first time i get a chance to wear it for questioning for something i didn't do when you stop it now first thing you know you'll be feeling sorry for yourself when you get that way it's just too bad i've never had anything like this happen before nothing's happened yet and well maybe nothing will come on this way there's a bunch of fellas out there by the fountain quit worrying now and remember that old saying about bridges i know the one you mean don't cross your bridges until you come to him remember that it's a good one lee you know i didn't loosen that synth strap yes i believe you jerry then who did well that's why they're having the hearing don't you think it's possible that that the saddle slipped by itself not from what some of the fellas say i forget who it was but one of the boys told me the sergeant said there was a mark in the leather where it had always been fastened that when he examined it after warren fell off splendor buckle was fastened in another notch he was positive at the tampered with just isn't any doubt about it but well why pick on warren everybody seems to like him that is funny i don't know it just doesn't seem to be a reason for it bills up the case against you though how do you mean well a person might think you wanted warren to get hurt so he couldn't ride splendor and then you'd get to ride oh i see you can't go in with me huh no no i can't i'll wait for you though i'll be right outside the major's office in the corridor will you sure i'm not gonna let you down fuck up now i'll be all right sure you will remember to keep calling think before you answer the questions they ask you and be just as nice as you can it'll help a lot well there's the office now go ahead and i'll be out here in the corridor somewhere and i'll watch for you good luck jerry thanks lee keep your chin up now and her could that do good reporting sir well i stand over there duke and yes sir you said captain gardener went back into his classroom is that right major metcalf yes sir he was in there just a few minutes ago hello the captain gardener major davis you can come in now cadet duke and is here right and her major davis my cap i sit down sergeant thank you oh here take this chair here to attention duke yes sir one of the men said dr camel would call here in your office just as soon as he had a report good good and her major davis out in orton major metcalf take this chair am i right here captain gardener make yourself comfortable thank you sir now then cadet duke yes sir it's with profound regret we call this meeting while it isn't the first time we've had to resort to extreme measures at fair oaks let me assure you it hasn't happened often duke and your attitude your remarks and your actions lead both sergeant olden and cadet major metcalf to believe it was you who loosened the cinch strap on the horse splendor thereby causing one of your teammates cadet paul warren to fall from his mount and receive serious interest now let me finish please you may talk in just a minute now during this hearing we want to learn the truth we would like very much for you to be able to clear yourself of all guilt in the matter i'm sure we all agree on that sergeant first but on the other hand if you can't we will have to call a court marshal with cadet major metcalf residing over the cadet officers cadet major metcalf take over now cadet duke yes sir did you or did you not say to me yesterday if i don't get to ride splendor no one else will did you say that yes sir i i did that's all sergeant olden cadet duke you admit that you went out into the stable and back to splendor stall this afternoon before the other cadets on the team arrived yes sir that's all captain gardener what's your excuse duke and for going back into the stable without permission i went out to see splendor and to give him some sugar i i didn't think there was anything wrong in that don't you know the stable is out of bounds at all times unless you are engaged in some activity there yes sir but i figured i was an activity there i'm on the team and i only came out a little before the rest pardon me captain gardener yes major metcalf sergeant olden will you repeat the remark you made to me about the saddles for the benefit of major davis and captain gardener i'll be glad to cadet major metcalf has my remark oh excuse me sergeant hello yes oh yes yes doctor oh is that so oh it's too bad he will getting a report on war and yes well well yes all right doctor thank you goodbye excuse me sergeant go ahead now with what you were going to say what i told cadet major metcalf was this that i personally saddled each and every one of the horses and that no one besides myself cadet duke and when the stalls prior to the team mounting the horses i'm sure of that i'm also sure that the saddle on splendor was definitely tampered with the buckle being moved down and loosened one notch enough to cause the saddle to slip so thank you sergeant now then that phone call was a report from dr campbell and paul warns condition i'm sorry to say paul received a fracture of the right clavicle he will be laid up without the use of his arm for at least six weeks i'm sorry to hear that that's a fractured collarbone that's right yes and that's very serious warn might have been killed in the fall like he took do you have anything to say now duke yes sir i'd like to say something go ahead well sir i i do admit saying what i said yesterday but but honestly i didn't mean anything by it i admit i went out to the stall to see splendor too but really all i did was beat him a couple of pieces of sugar i didn't touch the cinch strap i wouldn't do a thing like that and especially to paul warn i like him does that mean you might do something of the same nature to someone you dislike oh no sir anything more to say duke only that i didn't do it no matter what i said or what i did i i didn't do it um duke you're to go directly to your room now and remain there until you receive further orders yes sir happen jerry is it all right let's hurry i have to go right up to the room and wait there well then it's not over yet i guess not they all think i did it what did they say oh they asked me if i was out in stable i said i was they asked me that is ted did if i said i was going to ride splendor or nobody else was okay be right with you go ahead jerry wait for me at the fountain what do they have to pick on me for you'd think i was the only one in the world he used to be my horse now they won't even let me feed him a little sugar what's wrong with that what'll mr randall say he'll believe me maybe won't jerry wait a minute what'd they want come on hurry it up what do you mean i i asked you what they wanted what did those fellas call you over for answer me please come on this isn't any time to kid okay there's no one around now what are you talking about jerry all the fellas at school are gonna give you the chill what does that mean come on hurry well what's the chivalry wait till we get into the room come on here we are listen jerry you're in a bad spot it'll work out all right but until it does the fellas won't talk to you they'll all turn away from you if you start to talk to them that's the chill jerry even i can't talk to you unless we're up here in the room where no one can see me awly i i don't deserve it why should they treat me like that i didn't do anything jerry yes captain gardener oh come in captain gardener jerry could that doogan yes sir doogan you're going to be court marshaled you'll have to stand trial before a board of cadet officers with cadet major med cap presiding you'll receive further instructions later they didn't believe me