Excerpt from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - 2 Ambrose Bierce
2 The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had
been standing. The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in tum
moved apart one pace. These movements left the condemned man and the sergeant standing on the two ends of the same plank,
which spanned three of the cross-ties of the bridge Th end upon which the civilian stood almost, but not quite, reached a
fourth. This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant At a signal from
the former the latter would step aside, the plank would tilt and the condemned man go down between two ties. The
arrangement commended itself to his judgement as simple and effective. His face had not been covered nor his eyes bandaged
He looked a moment at his unsteadfast footing.' then let his gaze wander to the swirling water of the stream racing madly
beneath his feet. A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current. How slowly it
appeared to move! What a sluggish stream!
What effect will the Sergent stepping aside have on the Condend man.
A)
It will give the man a chance to escape.
B)
It will mean that the man has been pardoned.
It will cause the plank to tilt, hanging the man
D)
It will signal that the execution is about to begin.