“But isn’t he a renegade, sir?” said the Sergeant.
“We call him so,” replied Denham.
“And didn’t he attack you two and try to murder you, sir, just as he did poor Sam Wren?”
“Yes, I grant all that, Sergeant; but we’re not savages. Now, suppose you had gone in chase of this man, and say you had caught him. Would you have put your revolver to his head and blown out his brains?”
“That ain’t a fair question, sir,” said the Sergeant gruffly; “and all I’ve got to say is, that I’m very glad, knowing what I do, that I wasn’t in pursuit of him, sword in hand.”
“You mean to say that you would have cut him down?” I cried.
“I don’t mean to say anything at all, Mr Private Moray, only that I’ve got my feelings as a soldier towards cowards. There, I won’t say another word.”
“Then I’ll speak for you,” said Denham. “You wouldn’t have cut the scoundrel down, nor shot him, but you’d have done your duty as trained soldiers do. You’d have taken him prisoner, and brought him in to the Colonel.”
“And he’d have had him put up against the nearest wall before a dozen rifles and shot for a murderous traitor, sir.”
“But not without a court-martial first, Briggs,” said Denham sternly.