The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-31
None But the Brave
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
Half unconscious as 1 soon became. I
knew that I was being carried away. then
put into a cart and jolted horribly and
after an interminabl6 time carried into
building and dumped upon the floor Of
room whether at night or in the day
time I could not have told, as there was
little or no light then or during the whole
time I was there. So lay on the fioor
which seemed wet for a time; and then
finding my consciousness thoroughly I
began to take cognizanoe of what lay
near me.
A SILVER of horror-that same dread
rushed over me instantly as / felt, In
stretching out my hand. the body Of a
man. With a kind of spasmodic stroke
of reason I felt at his heart, the dread
growing as I could not find It beating.
and In another moment turned over
and found him dead and cold. With the
sort of movement which an insane man
makes as he crouches away from some
thing, I pushed myself across the floor
cycling the body, then whirled about In
spite of the wound, for l touched some
thing on the other side. IT was another
body. MOI for 1t spoke.
Have you daughter, friendT' 1t
asked.
No" I whispered.
Then take her and cut her throat II
you would keep her a virgini
What mean your l asked, in strange
awe, and, my eyes becoming accustomed
to the darkness, saw a haggard figure
naught but bones with the dried skin
drawn tight over them-sitting Turk
fashion and looking at me with wild
eyes.
AYE, cut her throat that she may
liver
Where am I7' asked to the air, for
became aware of foul odour and sick
ening heavy atmosphere that. as 1t grew,
made me try to stop breathing till It
should pass but that 1t did never.
Don't min 'im," said a grun voice
behind my head. LES got 'em Es
lifted. erel Els got w'eeI stuck in is
upper deck"
I sat up quickly, holding my clothes
now dried to the wound to keep from
tearing them away from my side, and
saw dimly a long narrow room with
walls of stone and little Sits for WIN
dows, with every inch of the floor COW
cred by standing or sitting men, 50
close together that in many instances
they lay across one another. / had for
the moment more room than the others.
Where am ~
I'm hell In hellr' cried the lunatic.
"And she Is not here. VIII you cut her
throat, friend7f I crawled away from
him. fascinated by his unwinking eyes,
till l touched the dead man.
Give that un n wide berth, mate"
sab the sailor LES just coughed up
is last breath, and 'e's got the typhus."
- here am L. 1 cried again, shrink
ing from the body.
THE lunatics about right" said the
sailor, In his monotonous voice. ''Yere
In ELL Dyer mean to say yer don know
the old Sugar 'OuseT'
God knows I did And hid my face
in my hands to coved my grief Did
know the Sugar House Prison, where my
comrades of IT had laid so long, some
only leaving to go as I had seen them
in the dead carts but few hours be-
fore2 Did know that foul prison? Aye,
WE'LL And was like to know 1t better.
What day is it?" asked a quiet voice
at my feet. 1 turned a little and heard
a long cough come from a young man
pale with the signs OF death on his white
brow, lying there on his side, his quiet
face resting on his arm, his eyes look
ing at me with a bravery in them that
was pltiful, pitiful beyond measure!
Thursday" said some voice out of the
foul darkness.
wednesday," said l. as instinctiveiy
turned toward the wasted figure.
What month, II you please?' he asked,
without turning his eyes from my face.
1.-THE thirteenth Of October, friend"
said I.
He lay still a moment, looking at me
without letting his gaze waver. Then:
What yearT'
'17S0, comrade. Where do you belong?'
$50 said he thoughtfully, in the same
voice. 1850 have been here two years
and near three months"
MY Godl'
figure approached us through the
thick air, stepping carefully over those
lying down and passing among those who
stood or sat up.
az cannot get any, John, brother" said
he to the dying man.
THANK we, jake" he answered, never
turning his gaze from my face. nor
changing his look or position. I looked up
and saw a face like his own, and saw,
too, the man swallow suddenly. and
heard am cry in a piteous tone:
"They will not give me any, not a drop
to save him." and turning to a grated
door through which came the little light
we had, he leaned over another sleeping