Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-03-03
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the belt as the coat of a bear. took.
alarm as closed the buttons. For half
a minute had heard a drum-tap COM
ing nearer. 1t was the measured tap!
tap! tap-tap-tap! so familiar to me.
Now | could hear the tread of feet COM
ing with it back of the hill. How soon
they would heave in sight | was unable
to reckon, but | dared not run for
cover. So | thrust my scabbard deep
in the soft earth, pulled down the big
beaver hat over my face, muff1ed my
neck with straw, stuck the stake in
front of me to steady myself, and stood
stiff as any scarecrow in Canada. Be-
fore l was done a column, scarlet
coated, came out in the level beyond
the hillside. Through hole in the
beaver | could see them clearly. They
came on, rank after rank. They de-
ployed, forming an open square, scar
let-sided, on the green turf, the gap to-
ward me. Then came three, walking
stiffiy in black coats squad leading
them. The thing | had taken for a
white visor was a blindfold Their
heads were bare. could see now, they
were in shackles, their arms behind
them. They were coming to their death
some of my unlucky comrades. God
pity them! A spy might as well make
his peace with heaven, if he were
caught those days, and be done with
hope. Suspicion was enough to convict
on either side of the water that year.
AS my feet sank deeper in the soft
earth | felt as il l were going down to
my grave. The soldiers led them into
the gap, standing them close together,
backs to me. The squad drew off. The
prisoners stood erect, their faces turn
ing up little, as if they were looking
into the clear, blue sky | could see
them waver as they stood waiting. The
sharp-shooters advanced, hating as
they raised their rifles. To my horror,
| saw the prisoners were directly be-
tween me and them. Great God! was
| also of that little company about to
die? But | dared not move a step.
stood still, watching, trembling. An
officer in a shining helmet was speak
ing to the riflemen. His helmet seemed
} y
/ Those doomed figures began to reel and
sway as they waited. The shiny bar
rels lifted a little, their muzzles point
ing at them and at me. The corn
seemed to duck and tremble as it
waited the volley. A great black ball
shot across the sky in a long curve, and
began to fall. Then came the word, a
nf a oil of r.
of rifles that made me jump in my
tracks. heard bullets cutting the corn,
| felt the dirt fly up and scatter over
me, but was unhurt, rigid, motionless
man of straw. l saw my countrymen
reel, their legs go limp as rags, their
bodies fall silently forward. The SOL
diers stood moment, then a squad
went after the dead with filters. Form
ing in fous, they marched away as
they had come, their steps measured
by that regular rap! rap! rap-rap-rap.
of the drum The last rank went out
of sight. | moved a little and pulled
the stake, and quickly stuck it again
for there were voices near. | stood
waiting as stiff as poker. Some men
were running along the beach; two
others were coming through the corn
They passed within few feet of me
on each side. | heard them talking
with much animation. They spoke OF
the wreck. When they were all by me
| faced about, watching them. They
went away in the timber, down to a
rocky point. where | knew the wreck
was visible.
They were no sooner out of sigh
than pulled the stake and saber, ant
showed the latter under my big coat