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.