Look up at me. There shall be justice done, but I
must know."
She looked up a moment at the kind grave face, then with bent head and
hands over her eyes she sobbed out what none but the general could hear.
His voice grew even more distinctly soft as touching her shoulder he
said, "Look at that man. Oh, bring him near--nearer. Now, be sure, is
that the man? Look again! I must be certain."
With a quick motion she pushed his hand from her shoulder as she stood,
and pointing to the brute held by two soldiers cried, "That's him--oh, my
God! Take him away--kill him. Le' me go. Don't you keep me." She looked
about like some hopelessly trapped, wild-eyed animal.
"You may go, of course," said the low-voiced man. "I will set a guard
over your house."
"Don't want no Yankee guard--le' me go--I've got nothin' to guard--I want
to die." She darted away and through the parting groups of men who were
clear enough about what they knew had happened and what should be done.
The dark grey eyes of the General followed her flight for a pitying
instant. Then he remounted, and said to the scared captive, "What have
you got to say?"
"It's all a lie."
The general's face grew stern. He turned and asked for an officer of the
Provost Guard. A captain rode up and saluted.
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