Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-21


in language mot. German that did
not understand. | felt sure it referred
to me, but if it did the colonel gave no
indication of it, After the officer left
us the colonel invited me to be his guest
during my stay in the camp.
Il presume" he said to me, chat you
wish TO seei something of the army.
am going to visit several different
corps today and viii be happy TO have
you accompany me"
1 assured him that l should be very
thankful forthe opportunity, and after
furnishing me with Il horse, accompa-
MED by a small escort, we sailed forth.
The colonel had his duties to perform
and often left us to visit different head
quarters, paying no attention to me ex-
cept when dssengaged. but L noticed
young officer of the party continually
watching me. If | got out my glass to
view a distant object, he craned his
neck to see what / was looking at; if
took especial interest in a redOubt, he
seemed equally interested in the fact;
| if L asked for information, he spurred
his horse close enough to me to hear all
that was said.
When we returned from the tour, 1
was dined by the colonel and when 1
retired was given Il tent with an army
cot in it in which to sleep. l was awak
ened in the night by the guard chang
| ing sentries, and after the relief had
passed away, hearing some one walk
ing back and forth, arose and looked
out. There was a sentry pacing before
my tent
"Well,' said, surprised. these Ger
mans are not inclined to let people get
away in the night. But 1 suppose it is
army custom with regard to civilians"
The next morning after breakfast 1
thanked the colonel for his hospitality
and told him that 1 thought 1 would
take my departure.
asked.
II shall go to Paris, then take
steamer for New York"
I knew nothing about military mat
ters or 1 should not have thus boldly
declared that after inspecting the Ger
man army L was going straight to the
capital of France. The colonel looked
at me strangely. Then a faint shadow
of incredulity passed over his face.
Better stay with us another day." he
said Il have invited a number of Off
GERS to dine with you
Somehow L felt that the invitation
was akin to an order. AT any rate, 1
did not feel quite safe in declining. l
spent the day at the colonels head
quarters and noticed that whenever |
walked beyond the chain of sentinels
those between whom l passed kept a
critical eye upon me, and once when |
went some distance an officer came
running after me, politely informing
me that no one was allowed to leave
, the camp without the coloners pass.
At dinner l was introduced to some
, fine fellows and enjoyed their society
, so well that 1 forgot the espionage to
which had been subjected. During the
dinner the colonel was called away.
and when he returned his manner to-
: ward me changed entirely. He was less
deferential and less constrained. In
deed, for the first time his bearing to
ward me was natural.
IF you care to rise early" he said to
me before l retired, 81 will show you
/ an interesting army ceremony. Then, If
: you choose, you may proceed with your
tour"
/
the ceremony, and 1 really must pro-
coed as soon as it is over replied.
Notwithstanding the change in the
/ colonePs bearing toward me 1 felt un-
easy. There was a drawing down of
: the corners of his mouth when he used
{ the word ceremony" that / did not
| like. 1 awoke soon after going to sleep
{ and looked out There was no guard
before my tent. l was puzzled. Finally
t 1 went to sleep and was awakened al
dawn by the colonel's orderly.
5 Our party rode short distance and
stopped at a barn. A platoon of soldiers
2 were standing at what we call parade
( rest" Suddenly the barn door opened
and a man pale as death was led out
under guard.
r Great heavensi He was the very i'm
] age of myself.
Here was the explanation of all thai
r lad passed. This man was spy, and
r had been mistaken for him.
E 1--WE caught. him. said the colonel tt
me, '1ast night. Had he succeeded IL
slipping away you would have been il
his place this morning, for we were
snre you were he"
/ did not want to witness the execu
ton, but with the colonel's permission
: rode back to camp. He soon returned
: and after he had given me breakfast
, was permitted to depart
GULIAN G. VAN WORST.