The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-05-02
A STRANGE DISCOVERY.
AN OLD SOLDIERS STORY.
T Concluded.1

'
reached the sentry box just as the
Relief approached, and then with a
Mortified moan, l fell insensible TO
the g-ound. When l recovered my
senses | found myself in the guard
room, and the officer of the day
nv own captain--anXiously scanning
my face Taking copious draught
of wbiskey / was soon myself again,
and calling the captain to one side l
! told him the whole story. Although
he poo-poo'd the matter, l could,
nevertheless, see that the story NOV
ed him, and l begged most earnestly
that a party might be sent with me
to bring the body in. After some
urging he copsented, and in an
hour, with four men and a stretcher,
we wondered our way to the spot.
That night poor Jack lay in the
dead house, sure of soldiers
grave, and the total obllteration
from his name of the terrible charge
of desertlon.
The reason of Jacks disappear
ance being now known, the next
question that agitated the command
was, "Who is his murderer" He
was murdered beyond doubt: his
head was terribly mashed, and his
throat cut from car TO ear. Many
and earnest were the oaths made
the next morning when we buried
him, to find who the villain was, and
then to visit upon his head the full
measure of soldiers vengeance.
The only person upon whom any
suspicion fell was Sergeant Jones,
and that because of two circum-
stances: being the last person seen
in Jacks company, and the finding
of his clasp knife near the body
of the dead man. But as no orders
had come from the Commandant in
reference to him, nothing officially
was done. However, l made up my
mind to undertake on my own re-
sponsibility the solution Of the mys-
terry. Some days passed and moth
ing occurred. Jones showed no
signs of guilt, nor we're his actions
in anyway suspicious. One night l
accidentally discovered that the sus-
pected man was sonambulist.
Hope grew with this, for something
seemed to tell me that in this way
would i be able to ascertain the
truth. For Two entire nights l lay
awake watching the man, hoping
that an opportunity would present
itself, yet fearing lest it might, for
TO tell the truth, did not relish the
. idea of proving Jones' guilty, we
had served u long time together and
had grown fond of him, for there
were good many soldierly and
manly traits about him. On the
third night, at midnight, | saw him
arise from his bed and deliberately
proceed to dress himself. l could
hardly credit my senses. The hour
seemed to have come at last, Hav-
ing dressed, he left the room.
followed closely and stealthily at his
heels. My impulse, on our reaching
= the arcade, and on seeing hin
, asleep, was to awaken him, but or
! setond thought l concluded that tho
hand of Providence was in the affair
and would that night either attest
his innocence or avenge poor Jack s
death. Slowly he went around the
= building to the rear. After climbing
the low stone wall, he entered the
old road that led to the woods
Crouching, and creeping in thu
a. shadow of the bushes, continued
Il to follow him. Words cannot de
j. scribe my feelings as we neared th'
" fatal spot in the woods. | grew
chilled and faint, and then nervous
and feverish. On, on we went unit
we reached the turn in the woods
!, He stopped, and passing his hanc
a nervously across his forehead seem
"a ed at loss how to proceed. NJ,
N breath almost stopped, and the wil'
70 beating of my heart could plainly b
N heard. At last he made the turn
is and after proceeding a few yards
is stopped again, and at the very spo
from which we had taken Jack
> body. hid behind the bushes, an'
.. with burning, anxious eyes, watch
20 ed him. He stood near the spo
,f seemingly in deep thought. Til
rs wind moaned and groaned dismally
to the night bird shrieked, and TIN
I'd wolf howled. My flesh began t
N N creep, and big drops of cold perspi,
II alton stood on my forehead. trem
ia bled like an aspen leaf. The sci
r geant now began to gather som
40 leaves and faggots, and carryin
ce them to the spot, cast them on tn
~ ground, muttering, at will soon b
hid" This being done he left tn
place, and by the same road and i
the same manner returned and wer
to bed.
a. All sleep for me was banishe
be that night. paced the room unit
an morning, and, as soon as revel
he was over, communicated my di
oa covery to the Captain, AT first b
H. was inclined to disbelieve me, sayin
Nv that the discovery of the body ha
a. so preyed upon my mind that
to would believe everything | imagined
f. but, on my persisting in the truLl
nc fulness of my story, and eXpressin