The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-08-08
SELECTED STORY,
How a Commission Was Won.

was heard, except the occasional cry Of
coyote.
Three o'clock struck, and the sentinel
OH post No. 1 started the call:
"No 1, 3 o'clock, and alls we'll"
A slight pause, and No. 9 responded:
"No 2, 3 o'clock, and all wellr'
Then came n long pause.
The sergeant of tho guard stepped out of
the guardroom and listened.
"Tho sentinel on No. 3must be asleep"
no remarked. bad business for a sentinel
guarding the corral"
Turning to No. 1, he commanded:
Start the call again"
No. 1 obeyed. No. 2 took 1t up. But
there again it ended.
The sergeant turned out patrol and
marched TO the corral.
AS he approached the sentinel's post in
the moonlight he saw the figure of No.
stretched out on the ground. The position
did not look like that of a sleeping man.
Double timel" commanded the SER
geant
And the patrol came down the post at a
run.
As the men came closer to the figure u
sight met their eyes that froze the blood
I'm their veins
Lying face down in the sand, his hand
ab1l BruSplnR MS THU, WIS iIelT ColllTutlti
stiff and cold in death, an Apache arrow
buried deep in his body.
Three SHARP cracks of the rife, the rat
tie of the long roll of the drum, soon
brought the startled garrison to the spot.
Scouts were instantly sent out and tho
plain thoroughly secured, but no Indian
signs could be found.
The next day with muffled drums, the
members of the garrison followed the body
of their comradc to its last resting place
With uncovered heads, sorrowfully and
reverently, they listened while the post
chaplain read the burial service. The mill
tary escort fired three rounds over the
grave, and the bugler played the sweetest
of all calls, "Taps-lights out-sleep."
Naturally gloom was thrown over the
whole post.
The soldiers gathered in small groups
and discussed the perplexed question,
allow could it have been doneS" Tho
moon had been shining brightly, and there
was no cover behind which an Indian
could conceal himself.
The searching parties came In after
fruitless hunts.
The corral was in an exposed place, but
the animals had to be guarded.
Night came. There would be no lack
of vigilance on the part of the sentinel on
post No. 8. The moon was even brighter
than on the preceding night, and the OBJ
jects on the plain could be seen almost as
distinctly as in the daytime.
Each half hour the call of No. was
promptly answered by the other sentinels.
Few expected a repetition Of the preced
ing nights cowardly attack. Gradually
the garrison became silent, and one by
one the lights went out
Some of the more nervous awoke every
half hour listened until all the sentinels
had responded to the call, then dropped
asleep again.
Morning came, and nothing had happen
ed to disturb the peace of the little fort.
Several days passed, and the post settled
down into its old ways, and the memory
of the dreadful event was beginning to
fade
The officer of the day was making the
inspection of the sentinels after midnight,
and was approaching post No. 3, when the
moon, which had been hidden behind a
cloud, suddenly burst forth, revealing at
the very feet of the officer the body of tho
sentinel, as before, completely pierced by
an Indian arrow.
The alarm was quickly given, but in
spite of the most careful search no trace Of
the assassin could be found.
A horror settled over the post. No one
dreaded an enemy they knew and could
fight openly, but against such ghostly at
tacks no one could defend himself.
At officers call the next morning the
affair was earnestly discussed. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY wrong to require a sentinel to walk
post in such an exposed and dangerous
place. and yet with the corral where it
was, no one could see how it could be
avoided.
While discussing the problem an orderly
appeared and reported:
"Private Rogers would like to speak to
the commanding officer"
The commanding officer went into his
private office, and after the interview re-
turned to the room where the officers were
assembled and announced:
'Young Rogers has asked permission to
take charge of post No. at night until he
solves the mystery, and have granted his
request.
The faces q the officers showed plainly
the anxiety they felt
Young Rogers was the son of brother
captain in their regiment, who, at that
time, was stationed in an eastern city on
recruiting service.
The young man had enlisted six months
previously with the object of obtaining an
officers commission, which may be won
by q worthy and capable man.
The young fellow had gained the esteem
and respect of every one by his manly
qualities and strict obedience to orders.
Many of the officers had known him from
his childhood. He had been the playmate
of their children and great favorite with
all.
Later on many tried to persuade him to
withdraw his request
"Take the post if it falls to your lot, but
don't volunteer" they pleaded.
Ii was no use. The young man had q
theory, and if he proved it and discovered
the assassin he knew that he would get
his coveted commission.
He was excused from all duties during
the day, and after nightfail assumed
charge of the dreaded post No ,
Three nights passed without any event.
The moon, though on the wane, was
still bright enough to allow Rogers to sec
any moving object on the plain.
One would have expected to have seen
him alert, actively watching for the slight
est sign of danger, but he had different
idea
Seated ON the ground, his back against