There was a cry of horror at the atrocity of the deed; not from any of the officers who were present, but from the soldiers, who were not used to warfare of that description.
"O, cowardly deed," cried Fred, who could not prevent giving expression to his feelings.
"Ha! what was that?" roared the colonel, turning towards us.
I endeavored to drag Fred from the scene, but he resisted my efforts stoutly.
"I say that to shoot a prisoner in cold blood is murder, and none but a base coward would resort to such an act," cried Fred, raising his voice. "Secure that man," roared the colonel; but not a soldier stirred to enforce the order.
"In the name of God, make your escape," whispered Mr. Brown; but Fred disdained to fly.
"Will no one obey me?" roared the colonel, turning to his officers. "Do you refuse to do your duty? By G——, I'll break every man in the regiment, unless you are a little more prompt. Arrest that man, sirs, and bring him before me," he continued, turning to his officers.
They obeyed, but unwillingly, and moved so slowly that Fred could easily have escaped had he been so disposed. I sought to urge him to dodge behind the soldiers, but he sternly refused; and when the officers surrounded him, he walked with a firm step towards the tyrant, and without suffering a hand to be laid upon his shoulder.
"You find fault with the method which I resort to to punish rebellion, do you?" demanded the colonel, with a savage laugh.
"If it was with my last breath, I would protest against so cowardly an outrage," replied Fred, with all the contempt that he could assume.