Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-01-24


A slight pause and No. 2 responded:
mo. 2. three o'clock, and all's we'll"
Then came a 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 sentinel guarding the corral"
Turning to No. he commanded:
'Start the call again."
No. obeyed. No. 9 took it up. But
there again it ended. The sergeant
turned out patrol and marched to the
corral.
AS he approached the sentinel's post
in the moonlight he saw the figure of
No. stretched out on the ground.
The position did not look like that of
sleeping man.
Double time!" commanded the SER
geant.
And the patrol came down the post
at run. AS the men came closer to
the figure 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 comrade,
stiff and cold in death, an Apache
arrow buried deep in his body.
Three sharp cracks of the rifle, 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 muffied drums,
the members OF the garrison followed
the body of their comrade to it's last
resting place. With uncovered heads,
sorrowfully and reverently, they lis
tened while the post chaplain read the
burial service. The military escort
fred three rounds over the grave, and
the bugler played the sweetest of all
calls. "Taps-lights out-sleep." Nat
urally a gloom was thrown over the
whole post.
The soldiers gathered in small
groups and discussed the perplexed
question:: How could it have been
done?' The moon had been shining
brightly, and there was no cover be-
hind which an Indian could hide.
The searching parties came in after
fruitless hunts. Night came. There
would be no lack Of vigilance on the
part of the sentinel on post No. 3.
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 sem
tinels.
Few expected repetition of the
preceding nights attack. Gradually
the garrison became silent and one by
one the lights went out. Morning
came and nothing had happened to
disturb the peace of the fort.
Several days passed and the post set
tied down into it's old ways. and the
memory of the dreadful event wis be-
ginning to fade.
The officer of the day was making
the inspection of sentinels after mid
night, and was approaching post No. 3.
when the moon, which had been hid
den behind u cloud, suddenly burst
forth, revealing at the very feet of the
officer the body of the sentinel as be-
fore, 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 a
sentinel to walk post in such an ex-
posed and dangerous 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 inter-
view returned to the room where the
officers were assembled.
young Rogers has asked permits
sion to take charge of post No. 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 brother cap
tain 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 worthy and
capable man.
The young fellow had gained the
esteem and respect of everyone by his
manly qualities and strict obedience
to orders. Many of the officers had
known him from his childhood. He
had been the playmate of their chill
dren and a great favorite with all.
Later on many tried to persuade him
to withdraw his request.
'Take the post If it falls to your lot,
but don't volunteer" they pleaded
It was no use. The young man had
a theory, and if he proved it and dis
covered the assassin he knew that he
would get his coveted commission.
He was excused from all duties dur
ing the day, and after nightfall as
sumed charge of the dreaded post No.
g. Three nights passed without any
event. The moon, though on the
wane, was still bright enough to allow
Rogers to see any moving object on
the plain.
Seated on the ground, his back
against the corral, his rifle on his
knees, be was apparently asleep APP