The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-07-04

80 oA Aee
slant he felt faint. dased. staring dowD
into the stfll face CHASTITY under the
rays of the lantern. Gaskins! Thea
she was concerned In the affair; he
really had seen her hiding there
against the wall. And the mans eyes
were open. we're staring in bewilder
ment at the faces. The Sergeant Of
the Guard thrust the lantern closer.
Lift his head. some O. yer. the
mans alive. Copley. get some water.
an two Of yer run fer the stretcher
leg 1t now. Well have yer out q
here in a minute, Lieutenant Whaa
happened, SIR? Who shot yer?"
Gaskins' dulled eyes strayed from
the speakers face until he saw Ham
lin. still firmly gripped by the sentry
His lips drew back revealing his teeth
his eyes narrowing.
That's the one," he said family.
you've got himl"
One hand went t his side tn Z
spasm Of pain. and he tainted. Ths
Sergeant laid him back limp On the
grass. and stood up.
Where il your gun. Hamlin? !"
7 dropped 1t when l fell over tAs
L~ieutenant's body. 1t must be back q
you"
Some one picked the weapon up
and held It to the lighA turning ths
chambers.
Two shots gone. Sergeant"
I'VE heard three; likely the Leo
tenant got IN one Of them. Sentry
what do you know about thisf"
Mapes scratched his head, the m
gers OF his other hand gripping the
prisoners shoulder.
Not DO awful much" he replied,
haltingly, nov l come ter tEtok 'beut
It r was . mighty dark night an J
never saw, ner heard, nuthin' TN the
shootin' begun. l wus back q ecacsrs
row, an them pistols popped up yere,
BY the corner O. the barracks. ]
Jumped an yelled; thought I heerd
semebody Nnnin' an let drive. Then
<st as l got UP yere. this teller come
:oarin' Tong. an I naturally grabbed
him. That's the whole Of It."
What have you got to say. Han
linz"
Nothing"
We'll. yer better. Yer in a mighty
bad box. let me tell YER" angered By
the others Indifference. What was
the row about?"
The cavalryman stood straight. his
face showing white in the glow Of the
lantern.
Il told you before l had nothing b
say. l will talk tomorrow" he re-
turned quietly. Il submit to arrest"
Il reckon yer will talk tomorrow,
and be damn glad o. che chance. Cor
poral, take this fellow to the guard
house, an stay there with him. Here
ome the stretcher, an the doctor"
Hamlin marched on silently through
the black night. surrounded by a de-
tail of the guard. It had all occurred
SO suddenly that he was be wildered
yet, merely retaining sufficient con
seriousness OF the circumstances to
keep still. II they were assured he
was guilty. then nc effort would b.
made to trace any others connected
with the affair. Why Caskins should
have identified him al the assassin
was a mystery-probably 1t wal mere
ly the delirsum Of . sorely wounded
man, although the fellow may have
disliked hip sufficiently for that kind
of revenge, a have mistaken him for
another in the poor light. At any rate
the unexpected Identification helped
him to play his part, and. II the Lieu
tenant lived. he would later acknowl
edge his mistake. There was no occa,
sion to worry; he could clear himself
Of the charge whenever the time
came; half his company would know
he was in barracks when the firing be-
gan. There were women out or the
walk, their skirts 1uttering as they
waited a~nxiously to learn the newA.
but he could not determine II she was
among them. Voices asked questions,
but the corporal hurried him along,
without making any reply. Then he
was thrust roughly into a stone-lined
| cell, and left alone. Outside in the
| corridor two guards were stationed
Hamlin sat down on the iron bed,
| dazed by the silence, endeavoring to
| collect his thoughts. The nearest
guard, leaning on his gun. watched
carefully.
CTO BE CONTrVUED.)