An Apache Princess - Page 21/162

Corporal Donovan, next examined, said he was marching Schultz over to

relieve Mullins on No. 5, just after half-past three, and heading for

the short cut between the quarters of Captains Wren and Cutler, which

was about where No. 5 generally met the relief, when, just as they

were halfway between the flagstaff and the row, Schultz began to limp

and said there must be a pebble in his boot. So they halted. Schultz

kicked off his boot and shook it upside down, and, while he was

tugging at it again, they both heard a sort of gurgling, gasping cry

out on the mesa. Of course Donovan started and ran that way, leaving

Schultz to follow, and, just back of Captain Westervelt's, the third

house from the northward end, he almost collided with Lieutenant

Truman, officer of the day, who ordered him to run for Dr. Graham and

fetch him up to Lieutenant Blakely's quick. So of what had taken place

he, too, was ignorant until later.

It was the hospital attendant, Todd, whose story came next and brought

Plume to his feet with consternation in his eyes. Todd said he had

been sitting at the lieutenant's bedside when, somewhere about three

o'clock, he had to go out and tell Downs to make less noise. Downs was

completely upset by the catastrophe to his officer and, somehow, had

got a few comforting drinks stowed away, and these had started him to

singing some confounded Irish keen that grated on Todd's nerves. He

was afraid it would disturb the patient and he was about to go out

and remonstrate when the singing stopped and presently he heard

Downs's voice in excited conversation. Then a woman's voice in low,

urgent, persuasive whisper became faintly audible, and this surprised

Todd beyond expression. He had thought to go and take a look and see

who it could be, when there was a sudden swish of skirts and scurry of

feet, and then Mr. Truman's voice was heard. Then there was some kind

of sharp talk from the lieutenant to Downs, and then, in a sort of a

lull, there came that uncanny cry out on the mesa, and, stopping

only long enough to see that the lieutenant was not roused or

disturbed, Todd hastened forth. One or two dim figures, dark and

shadowy, were just visible on the eastward mesa, barely ten paces

away, and thither the attendant ran. Downs, lurching heavily, was just

ahead of him. Together they came upon a little group. Somebody went

running southward--Lieutenant Truman, as Todd learned later--hurrying

for the doctor. A soldier equipped as a sentry lay moaning on the

sand, clasping a bloody hand to his side, and over him, stern, silent,

but agitated, bent Captain Wren.