r pondered on these things he was recalled by the
voice of the President. Did he wish to ask the witness any questions?
His company commander had been giving evidence. No; he had no questions
to ask. And as each witness was called, and sworn, and gave evidence,
all of which the Judge-Advocate repeated like a litany and duly wrote
down with his own hand--the prisoner always returned the same answer.

Now the prisoner's friend, a young officer who had never played that
_role_ before, and who was both nervous and conscientious, had been
studying Rule 40 in the Red Book with furtive concentration. What was he
to do with a prisoner who elected neither to make a statement nor to put
questions to witnesses, and who never gave him any lead? But he had
there read something about calling witnesses as to character, and,
reading, recollected that the company commander had glanced at the
prisoner with genuine commiseration. And so he persuaded Stokes, after
some parley, to call the captain to give evidence as to character. The
captain's words were few and weighty. The prisoner, he testified, was
one of the best N.C.O.'s in his company, and, with the latitude which is
characteristic of court-martial proceedings, the captain went on to tell
of the testimony borne by the dead subaltern to the excellent character
of John Stokes, and how the said John Stokes had been greatly affected
by the death of the subaltern. And for the first time John Stokes hung
his head. But beyond that and the quivering of his eyelashes he made no
sign.

And it being a clear case the Judge-Advocate, as a Judge-Advocate may
do, elected not to sum up, and the prisoner was taken to the place from
whence he came. And the Court proceeded to consider their finding and
sentence, which finding and sentence, being signed by the President and
the Judge-Advocate, duly went its appointed way to the Confirming
Authority and there remained. For the General in Chief command in the
field was hard pressed with other and weightier matters, having reason
to believe that he would have to meet an attack of three Army Corps on a
front of eight miles with only one Division. Which belief turned out to
be true, and had for Sergeant John Stokes momentous consequences, as you
shall hear.

II

When John Stokes found himself once more in charge of a platoon he was
greatly puzzled. He had been suddenly given back his arms and his belt,
which no prisoner, whether in close or open arres