The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-02-10
THE DRUMMER.

sis IL you, B"lcarCan:
YES, Corporal. And there issome
news TO tell"
Wait "a moment, till l put my
boots on"
Thereupon the Corporal closed the
window on the ground floor at which
Pitardan, the policeman, had knocked
and disappeared on the pavement In
front OF the barracks, no longer in
nightcap, but encompassed by a
shoulder belt, with a three cornered
hat OH his head, ready 10 encounter
any evil-doer, Notwithstanding the
darkness, which on this clear August
night lay on the hills and fields around
the village Of Roluevaire.
The TWO went of together In
silence. They had passed the last
houses, when 10 uevaire had become
nothing tut a black mass, overflow
cred by the square clock-tower OF the
village clock, against the deep blue
OF the starry sky. When the clock
chimed IL, each sound went like a
silvery note through the grand 81
lence.
''And so our Hotspurs are in the
Font-Seche telds:"
Eyes, Corporal"
''All the four OF them"
''As usual"
THAT will do, At last we shall
throw some light upon this matte"
Then silence again, broken ONLY 10y
the Corporars rhythmic footsteps and
the heavy thud OF the vine-branch
crozier which Picardan, the uncon
scious heir OF the old oman CEN
turions, carried as the insignia OF his
Office. After they had passed the
cemetery, at the place where the
road began TO mount, Plcardan said;
'Hush! let us listen"
A dull sound, like that of a mufled
drum, came across from the other
side OF the n l.. IL ceased and re-
commenced at regular intervals, be-
coming more and more distinct and
stronger as the policeman and the
soldier mounted the hill They had
left the high DAD and were making
their way across an uncultivated piece
OF ground, guided by the sound.
'Only a few steps more and we
shall come in sight OF them"
I'VE must find a hiding place some
where. Anything will do-any rock
or tree"
But for trees there we're only a few
sparse lavender bushes; and instead
OF rocks there vas nothing but gravel.
look out" said the Corporal;
'the devils work is beginning"
And, indeed, down among the
olive trees strange things were going
on. Among the tree trunks stepped
into the vague light OF the stars,
four mcu-or rather four phantoms-
moved along in single file. Suddenly,
as if obcying a word Of command, the
procession stopped. The first phan-
tom, the bearer OF a bulls-eye Ian
tern, threw a beam Of light from tn
right to the left slowly and in a cir
Gle. At the same time the second
beat his drum. The third, balanc-
Ing a utensil which seemed TO be a
watering can, let a shower Of liquid
diamonds tall on the ground, while
the fourth, who was armed with a
basket, fell on his knees After com.
pleting this incarnation everything
sank back into silence and darkness,
till another roll OF the drum and an
other beam of light told that the
four strange beings had moved farther
on in the plain.
What do you think of it, Cor
poral?"
1--WE must lie down on our faces,
like sportsmen. and wait and see
They had not ~ wait long, for sud
denly the light OF the Lantern APP
peared almost at their very feet, and
the sound or the drum came from
close by.
go on cried the Corporal.
go on" repeated the policeman.
They both got up. ready to dash
forward. But at this moment the
moon rose over the hills behind them,
throwing her white light over the
whole plain, aud casting two gigantic
shadows. one wearing "A small cap
and the other a warlike three-con-
nered hat, over the field. a. il the
representatives OF authority, sudden
ly grown into giants, had thrown
themselves, face downward, on the
ground. Had the phantoms heard
the voices OF the soldier and the
policeman? Had they seen the
shadows Of the ground? In less time
than 1t takes TO ask these questions
the drum had been silenced, the light
vanished and when the two men ar
rived on the spot they found nothing
but a number OF footmarks about a
round damp place.
The Corporal slept no more that
night. and his wife was terrified. He
was thinking how for the last two
months everv Saturday four persons
performed these midnight tracks,