The Winston Affair Read Free Page B

statement. I like them; I enjoy their company, and there are many things about them that I admire. But mine is a minority position. Too many enlisted men do not like them, and the feeling is returned—and that is no damned good. This theater is like a pivot, the Jap war on one side of us, the European war on the other. We have two large armies in a strange colonial land, and neither is looked upon with any affection by the native population.
    â€œYes, I worry about’ my career, Barney, and I don’t want this thing to blow up in my face and blow me with it, but more than that, I’m an army man with a job to do and my country at war. We won’t win the war here, but we could take a long step toward losing or prolonging it.”
    When the general lit his cigar now, his hand was too obviously steady, and Barney Adams felt a sudden rush of sympathy for the big man. It saddens most sensitive people to come to maturity and discover that so many of their contemporaries are soaked with doubt and fear; and to have that reaction toward highly-placed men in uniform affected Barney Adams a good deal.
    â€œI hope I can help, sir,” he said.
    â€œOf course you can.”
    â€œStill, the British know that murders happen. They happen in their forces as well.”
    â€œYes, Barney, they do—but everything was primed for this. The unarmed man, the brutal use of four shots, the revolver, the violence myth—well, it could have exploded everything. The news ran through the British Armed Forces like wildfire, and lost nothing in the telling. I hate to think of what might have happened. I canceled all leaves and imposed a curfew immediately. The British command was as understanding as they could be, but they demanded the right to try Winston in their own court-martial. I couldn’t permit that, and finally I convinced them that we must try him ourselves. There is one point of agreement—that for the sake of this theater, the alliance and the war, Winston must be sentenced to death and the sentence must be carried out promptly.”
    Captain Adams made no response. He sat in difficult and uneasy silence, watching the general and seeking for the proper words to say what should not have to be said.
    The general knew, and prodded him, “Well?”
    â€œI wish you had not said that, sir,” Adams replied uncomfortably.
    â€œDamn it, Barney, don’t you think I appreciate your position? But I had to say it—and a lot of others are going to say the same thing to you.”
    â€œNevertheless,” Adams said, slowly and without pleasure, “you cannot ask me to accept a prejudgment of a man I am going to defend. How can I defend him, then, sir?”
    â€œPrejudgment hell! I am talking about the facts, Barney—the trial is up to the Judge Advocate, and I have no intentions of interfering. You yourself admitted that the case is open and shut.”
    â€œAnd—” Adams began, and then swallowed his words.
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œNo—it’s all right.”
    The general went over to Adams, and squeezed the younger man’s shoulder, and said, “Barney, Barney—I busted into this thing like a fool. Say what you were going to say.”
    â€œI want to help you, sir. Believe me, I do—and I will, as well as I can.”
    â€œI never doubted that. But that isn’t what you were going to say before.”
    â€œI was going to say, sir—why did you bring me here a week before I was due to report, if the case is open and shut? You certainly have any number of men who can act for Winston’s defense.”
    â€œAre you asking me fair and square?”
    â€œI am, sir.”
    â€œAll right. First of all, I want you to have this. I want to give you your majority on it. We don’t talk about such things, but I’m laying it on the table. This was a job, and I thought you could do it better than anyone here. Secondly, the facts are