The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-13
tho day, and after nigntfail assumed
charge of tho dreaded noat No


charge Of the dreaded post No. 8.
Three nights passed without any event.
Tho moon, though on tho wane, was
Still bright enough to allow Rogers to SEQ
any moving object on the plain.
Ono would hnve expected to have seen
him alert actively watching for tho slight
est sign OF danger, but he had different
idea.
Seated on the ground, his back against
tho corral, his rifle on his knees, he was
apparently asleep
Apparently only, Cor his sharp eyes
keenly watched every point of tho plain
He know that ho had q shrewd, tricky,
but mt tho Same timo u bold enemy In
that willy Apache. He felt sure that the
Indian, especially in tho second case, had
not crept up on his victim unobserved
He must have employed some disguise
which had completely deceived tho senti-
mel. What was this disguisef
That Apache would be moro apt to be-
tray himself If he thought me asleep than
no would If ho saw that was watching
MIN, was his sound argument
Through the long hours of tho night he
sat motionlcss. TWAS 2 o'clock when sud
denly he caught sight of moving object
on tho plain, some distance away. Noise
lessly he cooked his rifle Ho was a doad
shot and woo be to that object when he
fired. Nearer and nearer 1t came. whilo
he sat rs if asleep
why, it is Corporate" no suddenly OK
claimed to himself
Corporal was ilne largo Newfoundland
dog, tho pet of tic garrison, who had mys-
tcriously disappeared from tho post two
weeks before, and whom every one sup
posed to have been stolen.
Rogers first impulse was to call the
dog, when ho remembered his resolution
shoot any moving object that comes
within range
Eo therefore restrained his impulse, and
no one could have guessed that the ap-
parently sleeping sentinel was closely
watching every movement US the dog up
preached.
1t was lucky idea of Rogers to fcign
sleep, for rs the dog cnmo nearer no
thought he noticed something peculiar in
its appearance, and its actions did not seem
quito natural
Possibly Corporal may be exhausted
from hunger, or it may be the deceptive
light of the moon" thought Rogers.
Tho dog was now within close range,
and he could hesitate no longer
1T is n matter of life or death, " he re-
Elected, and if make u mistake every
onc-cvcn Corporal himsclf-will forgive
me-
Slowly and impcrccptibly he brought his
rifle to his shoulder; n short but true aim,
crack and u yell such rs only an
Apache who has received his death wound
can givc-startlel the whole garrison
AS If by magic, every ono collected on
the spot, each as he approached evidently
expecting to sec n repetition of the trlg-
edics.
Tho story was soon told. The skin of
poor Corporal had been used rs disguise
by the Apache, who, with bow III hand,
had been creeping up OH his third intend
cd victim. Deceived by tho apparently
sleeping sentinel, he had been led to be-
tray himself and had met u most mcritcd
death.
Undoubtedly he had, by tho same device,
deceived the other scntincls and had very
nearly succeeded III adding another scalp
to his belt.
Young Rogers was overwhelmed with
congratulations, a special report was ut
once made to the war department, and be-
foro long he received as u reward his much
coveted commission.-J. c. w. Brooks In
Golden Days.