“Joe,” he said, “you’ve got to take this company out when the time comes; I can’t!”
Brownell looked up at him incredulously.
“What’s the reason you can’t?” he inquired.
“Because I’m not fit to. Because, after what they heard in court yesterday, the boys will have no confidence in me. Because I’m under court-martial, and ought to be under arrest. Because I’m afraid of myself. If the worst comes to the worst there’ll be a conflict between my duty to the Guard and the State, and my duty to those with whose cause I sympathize. You know what I mean. Can’t you see how utterly impossible it is for me to take command of this company?”
He held out his hands appealingly.
“No,” replied Brownell, promptly, “I can’t see. You’re the ranking officer, and——”
Hal interrupted him impatiently:
“That doesn’t matter. I’ll go away. I’ll leave the city. I’ll make it a necessity for you to assume command.”
Brownell began to show impatience.
“You’ll do nothing of the kind!” he exclaimed. “You’ll do your duty to the State and the Guard and yourself. This gang of hoodlums? Why, man, they’re not men looking for their jobs! They’re just common rioters and bullies and criminals, bent on tearing the constitution of the United States to bits, and throwing the pieces into the gutter. Look here! do you know what you swore to do when you took your oath as a commissioned officer? You swore to defend the constitution of the United States and of this State against all enemies foreign and domestic. Now, go and do it. It’s up to you. It’s the first chance you’ve had. Go and do it!”