第26部分(第4/7 頁)

I　went　after　them。

〃e　on；〃　I　said。　〃Cut　some　brush。〃

〃We　have　to　go；〃　one　said。

〃Get　busy；〃　I　said；　〃and　cut　brush。〃

〃We　have　to　go；〃　one　said。　The　other　said　nothing。　They　were　in　a　hurry　to　start。　They　would　not　look　at　me。

〃I　order　you　to　e　back　to　the　car　and　cut　brush；〃　I　said。　The　one　sergeant　turned。　〃We　have　to　go　on。　In　a　little　while　you　will　be　cut　off。　You　can't　order　us。　You're　not　our　officer。〃

〃I　order　you　to　cut　brush；〃　I　said。　They　turned　and　started　down　the　road。

〃Halt；〃　I　said。　They　kept　on　down　the　muddy　road；　the　hedge　on　either　side。　〃I　order　you　to　halt；〃　I　called。　They　went　a　little　faster。　I　opened　up　my　holster；　took　the　pistol；　aimed　at　the　one　who　had　talked　the　most；　and　fired。　I　missed　and　they　both　started　to　run。　I　shot　three　times　and　dropped　one。　The　other　went　through　the　hedge　and　was　out　of　sight。　I　fired　at　him　through　the　hedge　as　he　ran　across　the　field。　The　pistol　clicked　empty　and　I　put　in　another　clip。　I　saw　it　was　too　far　to　shoot　at　the　second　sergeant。　He　was　far　across　the　field；　running；　his　head　held　low。　I　menced　to　reload　the　empty　clip。　Bonello　came　up。

〃Let　me　go　finish　him；〃　he　said。　I　handed　him　the　pistol　and　he　walked　down　to　where　the　sergeant　of　engineers　lay　face　down　across　the　road。　Bonello　leaned　over；　put　the　pistol　against　the　man's　head　and　pulled　the　trigger。　The　pistol　did　not　fire。

〃You　have　to　cock　it；〃　I　said。　He　cocked　it　and　fired　twice。　He　took　hold　of　the　sergeant's　legs　and　pulled　him　to　the　side　of　the　road　so　he　lay　beside　the　hedge。　He　came　back　and　handed　me　the　pistol。

〃The　son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　said。　He　looked　toward　the　sergeant。　〃You　see　me　shoot　him；　Tenente？〃

〃We've　got　to　get　the　brush　quickly；〃　I　said。　〃Did　I