Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-11-08


Dark as was the night, he carried no
lantern. The main garrison was well
lighted by lamps, and the road circling
the old fort was broad, smooth and bor-
dered by stone coping wall where it
Slirted the precipitous descent into the
river bottom AS he passed down the
plank walk west Of the quadrangle,
wherein lazy the old barracks and the
stone quarters of the commanding Off
Ger and the low one storied row of bach
elor dcns, he could not help noting the
silence and peace of the night.
Not Il light was visible at any window
us he strobe down the line. The chal-
lenge of the sentry at the old stone tow
er sounded unnecessarily sharp and loud,
and his response of "Officer of the day"
was lower tnan usual, as though rebuk-
ing the unseerlly outcry. The guard
came scrambling out and formed hur-
riedly to receive him, but the captain Q
inspection was of the briefest kind.
Barely glancing along the prison corridor
to see that the bars were in place, he
turned back into the night and made
for the line of posts along the river bank.
The sentry at the high bridge across the
gorge and the next one, well around to
the southeast flank, were successfully
Visited and briefly questioned as to their
instructions, and then the captain plod-
ded sturdily on until he came to the
sharp bend around the outermost angle
of the fort and found himself passing
behind the quarters Of the commanding
officer, substantial two storied stone
house, with mansard roof and dormer
windows.
The road in the rear was some 10 feet
below the level of the parade inside the
quadrangle, and consequently, as the
house faced the parade. what was the
ground floor from that front became
the second story at the rear. The
kitchen, storeroom and servants rooms
were OH this lower stage aud opened
upon the road, all outer stairway ran up
to the center door at the back, but at
the east and west flanks of the house
the stone walls stood without port or
window except those above the caves
the dormers. Light and air in abun-
dance streamed through the broad Vene.
tian windows north and south when
light and air were needed. This night,
as usual, all was tightly closed below,
all darkness aloft as he glanced up at
the dormers high above his head. AS he
did so his foot struck a sudden and
sturdy obstacle. He stumbled and pitch
ed heavily forward and found himself
sprawling at full length upon ladder
lying on the ground almost in the mid
die of the roadway.
oh those paintersr' he growled
between his set teeth. 'They leave their
Internal mantraps around in the very
hope Of catching me, 1 believe Now,
who but painter would have left a
ladder in such place as this?"
Rising ruefully and rubbing bruised
knee with his hand, he limped painful
ly ahead a few steps until he came to
the side wall of the colonel's house.
Here plank walk passed from the road
way along the western wall until almost
on line with the front piazza, where
by flight of steps it was carried up to
the level of the parade. Here he paused
moment to dust off his clothes and
rearrange his belt and sword. He stood
leaning against the wall and facing the
gray stone gable end of the row of old
fashioned quarters that bounded the
parade upon the southwest All was
still darkness and silence.
"Confound this sword!" he muttcred
again. "The thing made rattle ard
racket enough to wake the dead. Won
der if ] disturbed anybody at the colo
nel's?'
AS tnough in answer to his sugges-
tion there suddenly appeared, high on
the blank wall before him, the refec'
tion of faint light Had little night
lamp been turned OH in the front room
of the upper story: The gleam came
from the north window on the side. He
saw plainly the shadow of the pretty
lace curtains looped loosely back. Then
the shade was gently raised, and there
was for an instant the silhouette Of a
slender hand and wrist and the shadow
of lace bordered sleeve Then the light
receded, as though carried back across
the room, waned, as though slowly ex-
tinguished, and the last shadows showed
the curtains still looped back, the roll
ing shade still raised.
81 thought so, - he growled Zone
tumble like that is enough to wake the
seven sleepers, let alone lovesick girl
who is probably dreaming over Jer-
rold's parting words. She is spirited
and blue blooded enough to have more
sense, too, that superb brunette All.
Miss Alice, wonder if you think that
fellows love worth having? 1t is two
hours since he left you-more than that
and here you are awake yet-cannot
sleep, want more air and have to come
and raise your shade. No such warm
night either These were his refec.
tions as he picked up his offending
sword and more slowly and cautiously
now CROPPED his way along the western
terrace. He passed the row of bachelor
quarters and was well out beyond the
limits of the fort before he came upon
the next sentry-No. Sand recognized
in the sharp WHO comes there? and
the stern rattle of the bayonet as 1t