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Ballou, Maturin Murray, 1820-1895

"The Heart's Secret; Or, the Fortunes of a Soldier: a Story of Love and the Low Latitudes."

"
"I will-I will."
"That is all. I have no other request, and am prepared now to follow
you," he added, with a calm and resigned expression of countenance.
The drum beat-the file opened-the prisoner took his position, and
the detachment of men whom he had so often commanded amid the
carnage of battle and the roar of cannon, now guarded him towards
the place of his execution.
Lorenzo Bezan had but a little way to march; but still a blush
suffused his face as he passed, thus humiliated, through the public
Plaza, where he had so often paraded his company before. All eyes
were low bent upon him, from the humblest to the highest, for he was
well known, and his fate had created much remark among all. He was
marched quietly to the rear of the barracks, and as the company
filed by the guard house, to the long open space on the city side,
just opposite Moro Castle, he distinctly heard a voice from one of
the windows say:
"God bless and help you, Captain Bezan!"
He turned partially round to see the speaker, but no one was
visible. He was sure it was Ruez's voice, and wondering why he did
not come forward to meet his eye, he marched on to the plain where
the entire division of General Harero's command was drawn up to
witness the scene.


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