The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-11-20
and moved rapidly along the street

without stopping any more.
The watch passed without further in
cidents, but remember that | had no
trouble in keeping awake and was very
thankful to be relieved. l told you that
was new recruit at the time, and
dreaded TO make myself ridiculous in
the eyes OF the company; besides that,
had lurking idea that the whole
scene might have been plotted for my
benefit | resolved, therefore, to say
nothing about it and see whether any
OF my comrades had an encounter with
the mysterious woman. l devoutly
Hoped that@they world, and =was=z1iet
disappointed.
Night after night the midnight
sentry saw the figure, always coming
from the same spot always silent, al
ways passing on after the same incom-
prehensible movements. Not one of US
had had the presence Of mind to stop
the woman and question her.
We had in our company man such
as one finds everywhere, fun of life, al.
ways laughing, joking, sure to be at the
bottom OF all mischief, always punished
when there were any panishments to be
administered, skeptfcal, as all suck men
are, believing in nothing save his own
wit and bravery. The stories that were
told about the midnight visitor had al.
ways drawn sarcastic smile to his lips,
and he was eternally laughing at the
| victims of the woman in black Catch
him shaking in his boots with1fear OF
some facetious grisette who was having
great mi h TO N IN
| of their witsii
Finally we grew exasperated, and one
of us broke out:
Talk is cheap, Richard; you have
not been there yet; you may not stand
1T any better than the others.
Bet | woald!'
Bet you five francs you would notp
"Takenr
"When will you try?"
Tonight. Who is on duty?'i' -
Leroy"
4 Leroy was found, and was more than
willing to exchange guard with Richard.
Both repaired to the sergeant, who, after
listening to their story, told them to do
as they pleased about ii.
So the matter was settled, and just
before twelve Richard drew himself to-
gether, shouldered his gun, and marched
out to his post. w hat occurred we
learned later, and his tone was very diff
ferent from his usual one. | will tell
you the story just as he told us:
started on my beat, he said, sstllinls-
ing of. what was going to happen. ! ad-
nit NOW that ! did not. feel as easy
about the matter as l had felt before
The loneliness of the spot was telling
on my mind, and made me rather anx-
ious. Still l resolved to stop the wom-
an, if-she appeared, and question her;
l. could not do otherwise. But the cor
ner she always came from looked very
dark and ominou& and altogether, my
feelings were far from pleasant,
Twelve o'clock struck in the steeple
of a neigh boring church, and / watched
attentively for the apparition. After
1 watching ten fifteen minutes saw
something move in the dark, and a
dread presentiment seemed to clutch nay
heart The woman appeared, gliding
along as you all saw her; but l knew
that my Boosting had been vain, that
the sight affected me more, perhaps,
| oudn any Ol you. - WAS absolutely
| panic stricken, fascinated by the APP
! preaching figure, as some poor bird by
| the snake that bewilders it with it's
| glance before devouring it. | felt that
! ought to run, but ! could not move.
] On She came, nearer and nearer, stop
/ ping at intervals, till she looked me in
the face; then, uttering a wild cry. she
-sprHng forward, and-I fell, with dag
ger planted up to the hilt in my side"
Such was the story Richard told us a
few weeks later as he was recovering
from his wound. As to the woman, she
was discovered by the police and pro-
nounced mad. / have heard rumors to
the effect that she had been abandoned;
that her crime was but desperate
vengeance. Whether the story was
true or not Richard would never say
4 \Vavar1y