The morning news., 1894-08-19
Won A COMMISSION.
FROM the chicago Times.

were peacefully sleeping. Not a sound
was heard except the occasional cry Of a
coyote.
Three O'Clock struck and the sentinel
on post No. ! started the call:
NO ], 3 o'clock, and all's we'll"
A slight pause and No. 3 responded:
mo. ,, 3 o'clock. and alls well.7
Then came long pause.
The sergeant of the guard stepped out
Of the guardroom and listened.
The sentinel on No must be asleep"
/ he remarked. bad business for a senti-
mel guarding the corral"
Turning to No. he commanded:
start the call again"
/ No 1-obeyed. No 2 took it up. But
! there again it ended.
! The sergeant turned out a patrol and
marched to the corral.
AS he approached the sentiners post
/ in the moonlight he saw the figure of No.
( 3 stretched out on the ground. The po-
| sition did not look like that of a sleeping
double timeu" commanded the ser
| geant.
And the patrol came down the post at a
! run.
AS the men came closer to the figure a
sight met their eyes that froze the blood
| in their veins.
Lying face down in the sand, his hand
still grasping his rife, was their comrade,
| 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 the
| nlaln tbOrOnuhlv gpOnrnd hDf Indian
! signs could be found.
| The next day, with muffled drums, the
/ members OF the garrison followed the
! body of their Comrade to its last resting
! place with uncovered heads, sOrrowfully
and reverently, they listened while the
! post chaplain read the burial service.
! The military escort fired three rounds
! over the grave, and the bugler played the
! sweetest Of all calls 'Taps-lights out
! sleep" Naturally a gloom was thrown
| over the whole post.
! The soldiers gathered in small groups
| and discussed the perpleXed question.
| How could it have been done2" The
moon had been shining brightly, and
there was no cover behind which an In
dian could conceal himself.
! The searching parties came in after
! fruitless hunts.
Night came There would be no lack
| of vigilance on the part of the sentinel on
! posi- ANO. d. j ne UlOOu WAS even brighter
! than on the preceding night, and the OBJ
! jects on the plain could be seen almost as
| distinctly as in the day time.
! Each half hour the call Of No. | was
promptly answed by the other sentinels.
| Few expected d repetition of the pre-
| ceding nights cowardly attack. Grad
| ually the garrison became silent and one
| by Oue1the lights went out.
! Morning came and nothing had hap
pened to disturb the peace of the little
! fort.
| Several days passed and the post set
| tied down into its old ways, and the
memory of the dreadful event was be-
| ginning to fade.
| The oficer of the day was making the
| inspection of the sentinels after minnight,
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
the ntlnel, 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 OIhcers' call the next morning the
affair was earnestly discussed. 1t was
] tNlutubAg WlOhk W ACRhAA6 a SDublllbl W
walk post in such an exposed and danger
/ Gus place, and yet, with the corral where
| it was, no one could see how it could be
| avoided.
While discussing the problem an or
! derly appeared and reported:
! "Private Rogers would like to speak to
! the commanding officer"
! TIE commanding officer went into his
! private once, and after the interview re-
| tuvnpA n the room yyh ere the office ,vara
! assem- mbled.
young Rogers has asked permission to
take charge of post No. 3 at night until
he solves the mystery, and have granted
his request
The faces of the officers showed plainly
the anxiety they felt.
Young Rogers was the son of a 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 a worthy ana 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 o ,icers had known him from
his childhood He had been the play
mate of their children and great favor
ite with all.
l-dlCl Oll many UTltu W ptFSudu6 MIN TO
withdraw his requesG.
Take the post ii it falls to your lot.
/ but don't volunt teer,' they pleaded.
1t was no use. The young man had
theory, and if he proved it and discovered
the assassin he knew that he would get
his coveted commission
He was-eXcused7 from all duties during
the day, and after nightfall assumed
charge of the dreaded post No. 3.
Three nights passed without any event
The moon. though on the wane, was still
bright enough to allow Rogers TO see any
| mo ing object on the plain.
Seated on the ground, his back against
| the corral, his rifle on his knees he was
| apparently asleep.
Apparently only, for his sharp ewes
keenly watched every point of the plain
He knew that he had a tricky, shrewd
but at the same time bold, enemy in that
willy Apache He felt sure that the In
dian especially in the second case, had
not creptu up on his victim unooserved.
He must have employed some disguise
which had completely deceived the senti-
mel. What was this disguised
THAT Apache would be more apt to be-
tray himself if he thought me asleep than
he wodld If he saw was watching him.
was his sound argument.
Through the long hours Of the night he
sat mouOnlCss. IL was o'clock when