The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-07-05

l then went to the sergeant who had
charge OF the nineteen rounds of ammuni-
tion that were found in Gerald's pouch.
About midnight | contrived to find him, and
after some little delay got possession of
them.
] then returned to the doctor, and we COM
pared the nineteen bullets with the one
found in the saddle. then ran to the tele-
graph clerk, reused him out of bed, and told
him to telegraph to the headgu irters of CAL
cutta, to my lieutenant in charge of the
Magazines
Alter an hours waiting, ringing at the
bell, an answer came that the night watch
man would fetch the lieutenant. / then
sent message No. |
Examine the books and see the date on
which the last ammunition was sent for the
use of the Eorteth Dragons; find the same
parcel, and carefully remove one cartridge
from each of twenty packets, selected at
random take out bullets and remove plugs
and send No in base of cup of bullets"
The answer came back that he UNDER
stood, and would rouse up the people to
do it.
After an hour and half the answer came
back
All the bullets are numbered with a dot
on the right
| then sent message No. 2:
Examine what cartridges bear the No. .
with dot on the left, and report to whom
issued, and when report quicky--a mans
life depends on the 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 breaking open barrels
and searching. No No. yet found"
| a last it came:
One barrel No. . in store the rest of the
same shipment was damaged and useless,
and sold in bulk to native dealers for value
as old metal at one of the clearance sales
some time ago
had learnd all | could. | spurred back
to camp with the bullets, from which have
never parted in my pouch. shall never
forget the scene.
lc the middle of the camp the men were
drawn up in three sides of square in the
centre 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 stand
ing alone, and then | saw nothing more, for
dip in the road concealed them as l rose
again to the crest at less than quarter of
mile, saw a woman rush in from between
the ranks toward the triangles, holding
something in her hand. darted on, and
rushed into the square, but just in time to
see the iarrier's arm as the lash was decend-
ing, and to see that the woman was my sis
ter, and that she was being led away between
two sergeants.
Stop, colonel, for the love of GOO
cried with my hand still grasping the farrl-
er's arm; Il 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 2, the Others were
all marked No. 3, with dot. Eassured him
on my honor as an officer and gentleman,
that it was almost impossible that No. >
bullet could by any chance get into a packet
of No. bullets. He was only too glad to
hear me, and agreed to postpone the execu-
ton of the sentene until further orders from
the general Of the division.
Ive heard some shouts, and Pve 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 Corporal
Ashton would be postponed until further
orders.
The men had been standing at attention,
many Of them with the tears rolling down
their cheeks but when they heard 'ppstpon
ed they broke ranks, rushed up to the tri-
angles, cat the lashing, broke the cat, scream
ed, shouted, and danced like madmen.
Three cheers for Gentlemen Jack, and
his wife ! Again again, boys ?
Officers aud all joined in for few min
utes. There stood the old gray -headed col
onel in the midst of scene that out-b bed
lamed Bedlam.
As for me | was like man in a dream /;
| felt hundred hands grasping mine. |
had my sister sobbing in my arms, and then
| heard /, the colonel say to the bugler,
Sound the assembly,
What change In less than a minute |
stood by the fallen triangles in the centre OF
the three lines of living statues. Not a
sound not movement.
Major Jackson, reform your column and
break off your men, said the colonel and
then walked away with myself aud sister.
But what did your sister do there p
We'll, she had promised Gerald that he
should not suffer the disgrace of the lash ;
and had, during thd hour thought she was
fooling with the doctor, managed to get
hold Of his bottle of prussic acid, and had
rushed out with half of it for him and
half for herself and her appear ance had SC
thoroughly surprised every one that she had
reached the triangles, and almost raised il
to his lips, when the doctor recognized his
own blue bottle, struck her hand 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 satisfedp
don't think he would have been with
that evidence alone, ard so we went abou
to hunt for more. begged that, as we haC
found so much, Gerald might be permitted t.
accompany party of search, under guard
to find the missing tiger.
We went there. Meggie insisted on join
ing us. All the officers off duty went, anC
about half the men.
| (faral1 than nninta1 ont "A q .,,,.. - - L