CHAPTER XXI.
THE MAN MOVING IN A DARK ROOM May came, and, with the gorgeous blossoms of that month, Dick Prescott left the hospital.
He was able to walk fairly well, and was returned to study and recitations, though excused from all drills or any form of military duty.
Not quite all the old erectness of carriage was there, though Dick hoped and prayed daily that it would return.
He had been cautioned to take the best of care of himself.

He had been warned that he was still on probation, so far as his physical condition was concerned.
"A sudden bad wrench, and you might undo all that has been done for you so far," was the surgeons' hint.
So Prescott, though permitted to march with his sections to recitations, and to fall in at the meal formations, was far from feeling reassured as to his ability to remain in the service.
He was to have a physical examination after the academic year was finished, and other examinations, if needed, during the summer encampment.
And well enough the young man knew this meant that, if he was found to be permanently disqualified in body, he would be dropped from the cadet corps as soon as the decision was reached.
"Do you know," muttered Greg vengefully, "Haynes had the cheek to come here and ask after you ?" "Did he ?" inquired Dick.
"Yes; he pretended to be sorry about your accident." "Perhaps he really was," returned Prescott.
"What?
After his trick in pushing you from the train ?" "I hope he has lived to regret that," said Dick quietly.
"You're not quite a lunatic, old ramrod, are you ?" asked Greg wonderingly.
"Oh, I've heard of fellows being bad, and then afterward repenting," murmured Dick.

"Perhaps this has been the case with Haynes.
You see, Greg, lying there in hospital, day after day, I had time to do a lot of thinking.

Perhaps I learned to be just a trifle less severe in judging other fellows." Anstey visited as often as he could.

He and Greg did all they could to coach Prescott over the hard work that he had missed.
"There isn't going to be anything in the academic work to bother you," promised Anstey.