here!â
When the orderly had left, Adams lit another cigarette and watched Kaufman pace back and forth. It was very hot in the little office. The perspiration on Adamsâ face flowed down and wet his cigarette. Across Major Kaufmanâs shoulders a band of moisture darkened his shirt.
Then he stopped pacing and looked at Adams. âWhat do you want?â he asked.
âI want the reportâand I want you as a witness for the defense.â
âIâm glad you saved that until now.â
âI wasnât certain that I wanted you as a witness until now.â
âAnd now you are?â
âYes.â
âGive me a day or two to think it over.â
âI canât give you an hour to think it over, Major,â Barney Adams said stubbornly. âI have two days left to prepare my case. I can do it if I cut down my sleeping to a minimum. But I need your decision now.â
âI suppose you know what it is?â
âI think so.â
âWell, get out now. Get out and leave me alone. I have work to do, too, although you may not think so.â He went to a metal filing case, opened a drawer, and took out a sheaf of paper. âHereâs the report,â he said.
âThank you, sir.â
âAh, to hell with thanks! Iâm not doing this for you, Adams.â
âWe convene at nine-thirty, Monday morning. At the Advocateâs.â
âAll right. And donât botherâI know where it is.â
Kaufman left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Friday 3.10 P.M .
Half a dozen American correspondents and four British correspondents were already seated in General Kemptonâs big office when Barney Adams arrived. The general, who had a reputation as a stickler for punctuality, was in this instance remarkably genial and understanding. Before any questions were permitted, he spread his arms and told the newspapermen:
âI want you to understand that you are dealing with an infantry officer, not with your home-town mayor in uniform. Major Alek Gunther is here from the PR office, and he knows the rules. You also know the rules. You can address any questions you wish toâto me or to Captain Adams. But if Major Gunther makes a no-comment decision, the decision holds. I donât want any arguments. And I donât want you button-holing Captain Adams in the corridor for inside dope. There is no inside dope. This case is openâwide open.â
And then turning to Gunther, âDo you have anything to add to that before we begin, Major?â
Gunther, slim, dark, impeccably tailored, his briefcase at the ready under his arm, as if prepared to step into a clientâs office, shook his head.
âYouâve covered it, General.â
âFire away,â the general said.
The Associated Press man wanted to know whether Captain Adams had been brought into the theater specifically for this case.
âI wouldnât say that,â the general answered, smiling. âHe has been brought in because I wanted him on my staff.â
From the Times man, âWhat do you think are your chances of saving Winstonâs life, Captain Adams?â
âI have no idea, nor do I have enough time to speculate on my chances. I was assigned to defend Lieutenant Winston. I shall do that to the best of my ability.â
âDo you intend to enter a plea of insanity?â a British correspondent demanded.
âIâm afraid I cannot disclose my strategy before the court convenes,â Adams replied.
The door to the office opened now, and a reporter for the major local paper entered. Dark, abashed, his white cotton clothes wrapped so strangely and gracefully about him, he remained standing next to the door at the back of the room. Gunther looked at him and said nothing.
A question came without Barney Adamsâ hearing it. He was wondering why he should doubt himself as he pointed to an empty chair and said to the native reporter,
Laura Locutus
Gertrude Chandler Warner
Donald Harstad
Timothy Williams
Margaret Yorke
Alisa Woods
Jack Ludlow
Deborah Fletcher Mello
Tyler Anne Snell
Anne Swärd