Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-03-15
miscellaneous.
MYSTERY OF POST No. 3.

The moon was shining brightly, H.
Illuminating the sandy plain around the
fort as only the moon in Arizona can
illuminate. The officers, soldiers and
their families we're peacefully sleeping
Not a sound was heard except the occa-
sional cry Of a coyote.
Three o'clock struck and the sentinel
on post No. started the call
"No. l. three O'clock, and all's well !"
A slight pause and No, 2 responded :
"No. 2, three o'clock, and ais well. y
Then came long pause.
The sergeant of the guard stepped
out of the guardroom and listened.
"The sentinel on No. 3 must be
asleep" he remarked Bad business
for sentinel guarding the corral"
Turning to No. he commanded
Start the call again"
No. obeyed. No took it up But
there again it ended. The sergeant
turned out patrol and marched to the
corral.
AS he approached the sentinels post
in the moonlight he saw the figure of
No. 3 stretched out on the ground
The position did not look like that of a
sleeping man.
double time p commanded the SER
geant.
And the patrol came down the post
at run. AS the men came closer TO
the figure a sight met their eyes that
froze the blood in their veins Lying
face down on the sand, his hand still
grasping his rifle, was their comradc,
stiff and cold in death, an Apache arrow
buried deep in his body.
Three sharp cracks of the rife, the
rattle of the long roll of the drum soon
brought the startled garrison.
Scouts were instantly sent out and
the plain thoroughly secured, but no
Indian signs could be found.
The next day, with muAled drums,
the members of the garrison followed
the body of their comrade to its last
resting place. With uncovered heads,
sorrowfuly and roverontly, 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 perplexod question
Glow could it have been done p The
moon had been shining brightly, and
there vas no cover behind which an In
dian could hide.
The searching parties came in after
fruitles3 hunts. Night came There
would be no lack Of vigilance on the
part Of the sentinel on post No B. The
moon was even brighter than on the
preceding night, and the objects 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 senti-
nels.
Few expected a repetition Of the pre-
cedng nights attack. Gradually tho
garrison became silent and one by one
tho lights went out Morning came aud
nothing had happened to disturb the
peace Of the 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 officer of the day was making the
inspection of scntincls after midnight,
and was approaching 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 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 attacks
no one could defend himself.
At officers call the next morning the
affair was earnestly discussed. 1t was
evidently wrong to require sentinel to
walk post in such an exposed and dan
gerous 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
returned to the room where the officer,
we're assembled
"Young Rogers has asked pernissio I