"
"The fellow has left my Bible," said the veteran, taking he book from
the floor. "Instead of spending his time in reading it to prepare for
his end like a good Christian, he has been busy in laboring to escape."
"And who would stay and be hanged like a dog?" cried Betty, beginning to
comprehend the case. "'Tisn't everyone that's born to meet with sich an
ind--like yourself, Mr. Hollister."
"Silence!" said Dunwoodie. "This must be inquired into closely,
gentlemen; there is no outlet but the door, and there he could not pass,
unless the sentinel connived at his escape, or was asleep at his post.
Call up the guard."
As these men were not paraded, curiosity had already drawn them to the
place, and they one and all, with the exception of him before mentioned,
denied that any person had passed out. The individual in question
acknowledged that Betty had gone by him, but pleaded his orders in
justification.
"You lie, you t'ief--you lie!" shouted Betty, who had impatiently
listened to his exculpation. "Would ye slanderize a lone woman, by
saying she walks a camp at midnight? Here have I been slaping the long
night, swaatly as the sucking babe."
"Here, sir," said the sergeant, turning respectfully to Dunwoodie, "is
something written in my Bible that was not in it before; for having no
family to record, I would not suffer any scribbling in the sacred book.
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