Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-01

He shook his head.
"No such lucb.-guard, he answer
ed, ard bent hungrily over his plate.
Mother Revell paled again and trem-
bled.
"Guardl" she said at last. "Why,
Martin, you were on the night before
last"
Cant help it. Schiedermann gone
sick, Foley's acting sergeant major,
McMillan's ON detached service mend
ing telegraph wires, Fairleigh S provost
sergeant and so on. There's only Bob
Otis and for duty-one night in. :"
IS q shameP she cried, jumping
up in passion of fear. "You can't !
You must not P'
why, mother?"
"You-I'll go and speak to the
major!'
what on earth-mother, you know
such things often happen. It's all in
the five years. Don't get excited"
"You-youll DO ill.,. " She began to
cry. It'll tire you out"
Mother, he said, stepping TO her side
and petting her, "you are i'll. Why, you,
of all people, know ono night in is no
hardship. It won't last. Look here! I'm
going to ask the hospital steward to
send you down tonic, and don't you
move from your stove today. I'll run
up and see you at dinner time. Now, l
must hurry and clean my belts bit"
He left her shaking silently, but turn
ed at the open door.
THAT hangdog road agent is to be
sent to the railway tomorrow. The sher-
if will take charge of him there"
Mother Revell huddled up in her
chair as the door closed behind her and
became q nervous bundle of anxious
fears.
Tonight" she muttered. "He must
escape tonight, and Martin on guard If
he should fail if the guard shoots him
a son shoot his father down! Oh, oh
And if he succeeds Martin will be tried
for allowing tho escape, for neglect of
duty, and be reduced. 1t will ruin his
chance of promotion. Oh, OH"
She sat, stunned, until the bugles on
the parade ground announced guard
mount. She stole to tho window and
watched. Crash went the band. All the
familiar, stirring mancuvers were per-
formed in the bright winter sun. The
band ceased, tho adjutant and sergeant
major saluted, the shrill bugles ad-
vanced, and the new guard marched on
to the guardroom, the tall and bright
eyed young sergeant in command. She
could hear his clear voice even when he
was out of sight at the distant guard.
house: New guard Present armsl"
Evening stable call and tho troopers
i'll white stable dress, trotting ut double
time through the frosty air of the fail.
| ing day-supper call-retreat and the
sunset gun. Martin ran in to SOC her and
found her so white he resolved TO bring
the post surgeon in tho moAing. Dark.
ness, but she lit no lamp, and at last
came tattoo and taps TO usher in windy
night, with white clouds swiftly cross.
ing the half moon. Night-the final
click of the billiard balls in the club,
tho final song at Captain Vests even.
ing party, the first silent round of the
officer of the day. The sentry at the
guardhouse lifted up his voice, "No. /,
II o'clock" and from the corral, from
tho cavalry stables, from the haystack'
and from tho distant sawmill came the
swift replies Of lonely scntinels
"Twelve O'Clock, and all's we'll !"
Mother Revell rose up unable to wait
longer, TO bear suspense. She stole from
the house. Well she knew the old pos
and how to hide in the shadows ant
how to avoid the sentries Unseen, fill.
ed with shuddcring disgust at herself
at having so to hide, she gained the
rear of the guardhouse. There, there
stood little clump Of scrub oaks by a
spring If clear water, and in their
shadows the little woman crouched and
watched.
Tramp, tramp, tramp, to the end OF
the porch; to tho rear, march, and
tramp, tramp, tramp to the other end.
Shift carbino to the other shoulder, anG
it S time to patrol round the guardhouso.
30 went No. l, monotonously, distract.
ingly Once, twice, thrice and four timel
he passed round the building, and il
was o'clock, Again he sang the hour
and again came back tho distant echoine
sentries' calls, "All's we'll"
Mother Revell was in a fever. She
felt no cold. Her eyes sought continu
ously the yawning blaokness between
the walls of tho old guardhouse and the
snowy ground. Again the faithful sen
try passed around and went back to the
porch. a minute passed. and something
protruded from beneath the guardhouse
reaching out to the white snow, stealth
lily, OH its belly, like great, sneakint
cat. Mother Revell clasped her hand
and shook and watched. Inch by incl
he came-the murderer q big man.
while the hole was narrow. The mool
glanced upon him, and she saw the gilt
ter of his excited, determined eyes. Incl
by inch, without sound, he dragget
himself to freedom, and No. continues
to tramp the wooden porch unsuspect
ingly. The man was out and on hi
feet, STOPPING low, glancing here anC
there to make sure Of the right direc
ton to run.
!As>aAGn,n.