Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-08-21

bullets.
The answer came that he understood
and would rouse up the people to do it.
After an hour and a half, the answer
came back -
''All the bullets are numbered 5, with
a dot on the right"
[ then sent message No. , =
Examine what cartridges bear the No
? with a dot on the left, and report to
whom issued and when-report quickly
a mans life depends on speed"
Again | waited another hour. No an
swer came.
1t was getting late-half-past two; at
four the parade would take place urged
more speed.
The reply came =
We have ten men at work breaking
open barrels, and searching. No No. =
yet found"
At last it came =
Zone barrel No , in store; :; the rest of
the same shipment was damaged and use
less, and sold in bulk to native dealers for
value as old metal at one Of the clearance
sales some time ago"
/ had learnt all | could. [ spurred back
to camp with the bullets, from which had
never parted, in my pouch. | shall never
forget the scene.
In the middle Of the camp the men were
drawn up in three sides of "A square in
the center of the square were the triangles,
with Gerald lashed to them. | saw them
as | came down the hill take off his jacket
and lash his wrists. [ sped on. | could
see the old colonel, with the paper in his
hand. standing alone, and then | saw moth
ing more, for a dip in the road concealed
them; as | rose again to the crest at less
than Il quarter Of mile saw woman
rush in from between the ranks towards
the triangles, holding something in her
hand. | darted on, and rushed into the
square, but just in time to seize the far
rier's arm, as the lash was descending, and
to see that the woman was my sister, and
that she was being led away between two
sergeants.
Stop colonel, for the love of Cod" l
cried, with my hand still grasping the far
rier's arm have evidence to prove the
man not guilty"
| then showed the colonel the bullet that
had come from the saddle and the others
from the pouch, and pointed out to him
that while one was marked No. >, the 9TH
ers were all marked No >, with dot |
assured him, on my honor as an officer and
Il gentleman, that it was almost impossible
that a No. bullet could by any chance get
into packet OF No. bullets He was
only too glad to hear me, and agreed to
postpone the execution of the sentence till
further orders from the general of his d.
vision.
I've heard some shouts. and I've seen
some displays Of enthusiasm in my time,
but | never shall forget the shout that rose
the minute that the colonel had pronounced
that the execution of the sentence on cor
poral Ashton would be postponed until
further orders.
The men had been standing at " atten-
ton" many of them with tears rolling
down their chcek~, but when they heard
postponed" they broke ranks, rushed up
to the triangles. cut the lashing~ broke the
cat, screamed. shouted, and danced like
madmcn.
Three cheers for = Gentleman Jack "
and his wife Again again, boys"
Officers and all, joined in for few min
utes. There stood the old grey headed
colonel in the midst OF the scene that out
bedlamed Bcdlam
As for me. | was ike man in dream
| felt hundred hands grasping mine. l
had my sister sohh'ng in my arms, and
then | heard the colonei say ID the bugler,
" sound the assembly
What change In less than min
ute | stood by the fallen triangles in the
centre Of three lines OF living statues. Not
a sound not movement.
" Major Jackson, reform your colnmn
and break off the men" said the colonel
and then walked away with myself and Sis
ter.
But what did your sister do there ? "
"Well, she had promised Gerald that he
should not suffer the dangers Of the lash;
and had, during the hour | thought she
was foolng with the doctor, managed to
get hold Of his bottle Of prussic acid, and
had rushed out with half OF it to him and
half to herself; and her appearance had
so thoroughly surprised every one that she
had reached the triangles, and almost
raised it to her lips, when the doctor,
recognizing his own blue bottle, struck her
hand a violent blow, and dashed it on the
ground, beside disabling her from getting
her own share.
And how did the affair end was the
general Of the division satisfied ?"
4 don't think he would have been with
that evidence alone and so we went about
to hunt for more. | begged that we
had found SO much, Gerald might be per-
mitted to accompany a party OF search,
under a guard, to find the missing tiger.
We went there, Maggie insisting on join
ING us All the officers off duty went, and
about half the men.
Gerald then pointed out the spot where
he had stood, and where he shot the tiger;
and from that point we started, crossing
and re- crossing, till there could not have
been anything as large as a half-crown
that could be hidden.
Maggie and l were riding in front Of
the line, when Maggie exclaimed
:. What horrible smell comes from that
copse."
:. Don't smell anything, Mag"
- You've lived here so long, that you've
no sense Of smell left"
OF course rs Maggie was with us, Blink
ers was there too. Blinkers advanced to
the copse-pauscd-an rushed under
meath the grass, barking as if infuriated.
There's something in there, Willie"
Some of the others coming up, we pushed
our way into the depths, guided by the
frantic bari, OF Blinkers, and, after being
much scratched and torn, found ourselves
in the centre OF trampled circle of jun
gled grass, with the haf-devoured remains
of large tiger.
! rVbo looto. x,-a- ,a,,t for md tho xyoupd