Part 4 (2/2)
Hethem any further opportunity to remonstrate or ask for information
It was not until he reached the crossroads, without being challenged, that he showed any sign of being in any way disturbed
”Sentry!” he shouted ”Sentry!”
But there was no answer
”Halt!” he ordered, and he hiate The blackness sed him, but the men could hear hi, too, within ten paces of theht here, some one”
One man produced a piece of candle, struck a match and lit it Ahuddled up together like a frightened flock of sheep, peering through dancing, candle-lit shadows at so
”What is it, Sergeant?”
”What in hell's happened?”
”Who was that swearing?” inquired Broith a sudden look up across his shoulder ”You, Taylor? You again? Swearing in the presence of death? Talking of hell, with your two co dead at the crossroads, and you like to follow both o' theuards lay dead They lay quite neatly, side by side, without a sign about them to show that they had h, and then the cause of death became more obvious A stream of blood welled out of the man's back, from between the shoulder-blades-warulate
”They've been dead about threehis hands in the road-dust to get the blood off the-march 'em, face-doards That's better! Now, forward Quick, uardhouse in grie when there should have been The lauardroom, for they could see it plainly as they drew nearer, but there was no noise of a sentry's footfalls, or hoarse ”Halt!” and ”Who con yet of the uardroouardroouards at the door, and covered up the bodies with a sheet before coate
He started off toward the cell where he had imprisoned the fakir He went by hione five yards when the second explanation met his eyes This time there was no need to stoop down, nor to turn any body over The sentry whouardrooht, with his uardhouse by an iron spike, which pierced his chest
”A la to let the horror of the sight sink in ”Take that poor chap down, and lay hiuardroom beside the others Ho should I know? Pull it out, or break it off-I don't care which; don't leave him there, that's all”
He walked on toward the cell-door, while they labored, and fingered gingerly around the spike, which h the sentry's chest with a hah he had not thought as ht have done so ”I knew that a man who could maim his own body in that as capable of any crime in the calendar!”
The door of the cell stood open, and there was no sign of any fakir, or of any one whobut an e in it
Bill Brown spat, and closed the cell-door
”I' but the truth,” he ht, don't they, if that's so! Obey, Obey! I'd have liked to see England just once again-I would indeed If I could only see her just once If I'd a letter from her, or her picture This is a rotten, rat-in-a-hole, lonely, uncreditable way to die! I wish Juggut Khan were here I'd have soe up in that case”
The lock on the cell-door was broken, so he only closed it, then started back toward the guardrooone!” he ot, in any case A hornet's nest'd be better stopping in than this place”