Chapter 8 Summary

Beside Hendrick and Rico, floggings are rare, while undesirable discharges are common. The company experiences one hanging, as deserter N. L. Dillinger kills a baby girl, deserts, is convicted by a civilian court, and is turned over to the regiment so it can purify itself of guilt for him having been a member. Dillinger is marched onto the parade grounds in full dress uniform, stripped of every trace of insignia, and is hanged. Most recruits have never seen death, but are less shocked than at a flogging, as they cannot picture themselves kidnapping, ransoming, or murdering.

The regiment observes 30 days of mourning for the victim, and Rico struggles at night to understand how such a pathological personality makes it into the MI. He contemplates whether Dillinger was insane and incurable – in which case, all are better off with him dead, or curable and...