I hadn't
counted on any of the officers reading it. Generally they didn't get up
until eight o'clock and by that time I would have destroyed the fake
report.
The officers' club was in the same building as my office and the captain
had come down early, evidently to get a--to read the morning paper
(_which came at 4 P. M._) and his eye lighted on my bulletin. I saw him
read it carefully, and then reaching up he tore it from the board and as
quick as his little legs would carry him, he made a bee line for the
commanding officer's quarters. I knew full well how the colonel would
regard that bulletin when he found out it was a fake. I was able to
discern a summary court-martial in my mind's eye, and that would knock
my chances for a commission sky-highwards--because a man's military
record must be absolutely spotless when he appears for examination. What
was I to do? Just then I saw the captain go up the colonel's steps, ring
the bell, and in a moment he was admitted. I felt that my corpse was
laid out right then and there and the wake was about to begin.
A few moments later the commanding officer's orderly came in, and
looking around for a minute, caught sight of me and said:
"Corporal, the commanding officer wants to see you at his quarters at
once," and out he went.
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