4. The Mandifers
Jager, bending, lifted the newspaper and then dropped it back. He said something that, for all his religiosity, might have been an oath.
"What's the matter, sergeant?" demanded Lanark.
Jager's brows were clamped in a tense frown, and his beard was actually trembling. "His face, sir. It's terrible."
"A wound?" asked Lanark, and lifted the paper in turn. He, too, let it fall back, and his exclamation of horror and amazement was unquestionably profane.
"There ain't no wound on him, Lieutenant Lanark," offered Suggs, pushing his wan, plump face to the forefront of the troopers. "We heard Newton yell—heard him from the top of the rock yonder."
All eyes turned gingerly toward the promontory.
"That's right, sir," added Corporal Gray. "I'd just sent Newton up, to relieve Josserand."
"You heard him yell," prompted Lanark. "Go on, what happened?"
"I hailed him back," said the corporal, "but he said nothing. So I climbed up—that north side's the easiest to climb. Newton was standing at the top, standing straight up with his carbine at the ready. He must have been dead right then."