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Dick was gaining when he stepped on a round stone, slipped and fell. Mock dashed after him. The fleeing German halted long enough to hurl the automatic pistol at Mock's face, then turned and ran on. Naturally the soldier dodged the missile, which struck the ground behind him.
If you fit yourself into your place, work hard enough and forget all about yourself except your oath to serve the Flag and obey your officers, I believe that you can do a real man's work. If you do anything different from that I'll knock your block off without a second word on the subject." A hotly angry reply leaped to Sergeant Mock's lips, but he was wise enough to choke it back.
The instant that Mock's name had been mentioned it had flashed through Dick's mind that, when in Greg's office that afternoon, he had seen Mock's name on Top Sergeant Lund's list of men for pass, and Greg, he knew, had drawn a pen line through that name. "Of course it may not have been Mock that Lawrence saw; Lawrence himself wasn't sure," Dick reflected.
Dick gripped the man's arm, giving a significant pressure before he said: "You'll come along with me, Mock, and it will be worse for you if you try any further monkey-shines with me." He gave another pressure on Mock's arm as he finished. Without a word Mock walked with him to where the horse was tied. "Untie that bridle and buckle the ends together," Dick ordered.
No one could for an instant doubt the honesty and impartiality of this devoted middle-aged woman, who, surrendering the comforts and luxuries of her home uptown, to which she was well entitled by reason of her age, was devoting herself to a life of service. If a woman like that, thought the jury, was ready to vouch for Mock's good character, why waste any more time on the case?
Thinking the weapon might be useful, Mock halted, then ran back and secured the pistol, after which he started to give chase. But the fugitive had vanished in the darkness. "Come back here and surrender, before I shoot," bluffed Mock, but the German did not answer. To Mock's intense astonishment Dick reached over, snatching the pistol from his hand.
It had been Mock's talk of deserting in France that had caused Braun to talk to Mock, who had been told by Captain Prescott to talk in that vein while in the bull-pen. Braun had fallen into the trap. As for Wilhelm -which wasn't the young an's real name -he was the son of a German-born father, but a young man of known loyalty to the United States.
Other soldier-prisoners interfered on behalf of Riley, whereupon Private Wilhelm, a heavily built fellow, rushed to Mock's aid. "A German and a German sympathizer!" With that yell a dozen or so of time prisoners set upon the pair.
"It's as easy to put 'em both in bad as it is to do it to either," promised the stranger. "Now, listen. You " Later in the evening the surgeon came around. After examining Sergeant Mock's feet for twenty minutes, and testing the skin as well, he pronounced Mock a shammer. Mock was sent to the guard-house for twenty-four hours.
Remember that," saying which First Sergeant Lund turned and strode away. Nor was Mock a happy man. Holmes arranged that a regimental surgeon should come over to B company barracks later and make a careful examination of Sergeant Mock's feet. For some reason the surgeon did not come promptly. The evening meal was eaten, and darkness settled down over Camp Berry.
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