Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 13
Someofthewomenscreamedatfirst,butnotmany.
Thousandsofshotsmusthavenrainedinonusinthenextfewminutes.HowIwantedtocrawlouttothetrenchunderthewagonswhereourmenwerekeepingupasteadybutirregularfire!Eachwasshootingonhisownwheneverhesawamantopulltriggeron.Butmothersuspectedme,forshemademecrouchdownandkeeprightonholdingthebaby.
IwasjusttakingalookatSilasDunlap—hewasstillquivering—whenthelittleCastletonbabywaskilled.DorothyCastleton,herselfonlyaboutten,washoldingit,sothatitwaskilledinherarms.Shewasnothurtatall.Iheardthemtalkingaboutit,andtheyconjecturedthatthebulletmusthavestruckhighononeofthewagonsandbeendeflecteddownintotheriflepit.Itwasjustanaccident,theysaid,andthatexceptforsuchaccidentsweweresafewherewewere.
WhenIlookedagainSilasDunlapwasdead,andIsuffereddistinctdisappointmentinbeingcheatedoutofwitnessingthatparticularevent.Ihadneverbeenluckyenoughtoseeamanactuallydiebeforemyeyes.
DorothyCastletongothystericsoverwhathadhappened,andyelledandscreamedforalongtimeandshesetMrs.Hastingsgoingagain.AltogethersucharowwasraisedthatfathersentWattCummingscrawlingbacktoustofindoutwhatwasthematter.
