Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-06-13

as soon as possible and compose my
self for a novel all night, while all of
you are in your beds or hunks. You
staff and line can't say that the marine
corps had nothing to do.
'I must 90, too, said.
"rhcn the guardhouse will be on
your way to the Rover" said johnson.
And, bidding the rest goodnight,
we went out together.
1t was Il sodden mig hit into which we
had stepped out, duly raining as
only on "the slope it can rain, in the
season.
As we walked down the navy yard |
mentioned that the story he had re-
lated struck me as more singular than
he seemed to take it.
"How many enlisted men have you
at the barracks?" | asked.
"a hundred and thirty, about"
Sand how many stations have you
sentries at night?'
"Four."
81 suppose that the number OF
marines never becomes fewer with
the drafts that you receive and send
than perhaps eighty"
81 fancy not" said johnson. "But
I don't follow you"
"My point is simply that with the
number OF your men and the paucity
OF your night posts you could easily
keep up as many stations again and
the duty still be light. You said that
the sentry box where Reed was muir.
dered has been abandoned, probably
as useless. Why is it useless? 1t
was evidently meant for the protec-
ton of the steam engineering build
ing, which contains costly machinery
and tools. The building is isolated
and near the water Of the straits, ana
might readily be robbed by " boat
from the town side. OF course, |
don't believe in ghosts, but it seems
to me that for some reason or other
that the sentry box must have been
abandoned not because it was super
hous, but because, as the barracks
tradition limited, as you gave it, men
would not do duty there"
cit is odd," he agreed. "And as
you say, we have men and to spare to
to keep one posted there Perhaps
there naturally would be one there.
You are right, that building on9ht to
be guarded; do not understand why
it is not"
''But you will prefer your novel to
visit to the spot"
son The contrary though l can't
imagine that we shall find anything
but soaking old sentry box; we will
go and see it together, if you will"
''Who comes there p
The challenge came from the guard
house, which we had approached.
"Ohicer of the day" answered my
companion, in the formula.
advance, officer of the day Cor.
poral of the guard!"
Tie corporal of the guard appeared
from the guardroom, from which his
men also turned out. They came to
present. and we saluted rs we came
| up.
Lieutenent johnson exchanged some
words with the corporal, leaving him
some routine orders. He had nothing
| further to do than this.
"What time is it,exactly, corporate"
| he asked, as we were about to turn
| away.
"Quarter of II, SIR"
81 am going to walk up to the tules
with Mr.. Dreighton," he said, to IN.
form the soldier; then to mo: "We
have easy time; it is not quarter of
an hours walk"
However, when, in two or three
minutes, we had left the pavements OF
the navy yard itself, tho ground lying
between those and the marsh was suf.
ficiently discommoding underfoot 1.-The
detestable adobe mud, the tenacious
clay which old Mexican dwellings and
missions have been built of.
The steam engineering building
loomed in front of us at some distance,
raising its ugly chimney up into the
sky, thus looking by instinctiveness
like menacing giant.
After stumbling over some pieces Of
old iron, among the derelict machin-
cry, as we proceeded, the crazy watch.
house drew in view. We conld see the
dreary dim of the night through its
open sashes.
"There is no ghost" said my com.
panion. as we looked into the little
broken interior, which could hardly
have held both of us at once. He had
meant to jest, but our environment
was too dreary for that. merely re.
piled that it was six minutes before II
yet, as Johnston stepped into the box.
He turned around in it and came
out again shuddering; the night was
as chill as it was otherwise disagreea-
BILE. l looked into the small vacancy
there was no reason for my going in
the whole was nothing but few up.
right planks put together in an octa.
gon.
But, having bent into this little
hole, l was irritated with myself for a
SILVER which did not attribute to the
rain.
"There is no use in waiting" said
Johnston, while we stood of from the
object.
"We will wait for the BELLS" said.
Gas you will. But it is cold"
We stood side by side before the
: sentry box, probably each of us con
graduating himself that if the Other
knew that he was fool, he knew the
same thing of him.
"Do You know" l said, "that that
thing slants beyond its centre of gray.
ity?"
at adheres to the mud" replied
Johnston.
looked at his face. In that glance
I saw him pass his hands before biz
eyes as if to free them from veil. Hi:
expression was fascinated and he was
trembling. looked. saw the house
only as before.
at moved" he said; 'there i.
some one here. Go round that way
1 60 this"
Wewent round, nnd met on the side
of the tules, with their dismal bir6
! notes.