Amador ledger., 1908-05-22
The Ghost Spy.


yesterday we discovered this man or
boy. whichever he may be, at times
working with us, at times looking
about him at the approaches, the
mote, the walls, as If searching for a
weak point He did not remove his
armor. as we did for freedom to work
and kept his visor closed. Suspecting
him, we seized him."
"Ah, haw exclaimed the general.
take him to the parapet and hang him
In view of the prince who sent him"
A gibbet was erected, ladder placed
in position and the prisoner taken on to
the parapet for hanging. He begged
that he might offer his last alteration
to his God in his own way, and when
permission was given him, facing to
the west. where the sun was sinking
he bowed low three times.
He's worse than u heathen," cried
the captain Of the execution party.
"He worships fire. Send him to hell,
where he belongs"
The youth was forced to climb the
ladder, the moose was put about his
neck, and the ladder was kicked away.
There were Il few jerks and all was
quiet.
The night was dark. The sentry who
guarded that part of the parapet where
the spy hung was obliged to pass and
repass the gre wsome object on bis beat.
At first he would not look at it. Then
in passing he turned his eyes toward
1t, as though compelled by dread fas-
cination. There was nothing Of the
body to be seen within the armor eX-
cept lock of hair that hung below the
helmet.
at doth amaze me-" muttered the
sentry. "bow long these cavaliers wear
their locks Mayhap it serves for a
rope whereby Satan lowers them into
the burning lake"
Encouraged by the thought, he gave
the corpse poke with his pike AS It
swung back toward him he thought
he heard low moan. Darling to the
end of his beat, he hid behind a stone
projection and could not induce him
self to again walk past the body.
While he stood shivering in his corner
a wind sprang up, swaying the dread
ed object and occasionally knocking
the steel armor against the gibbet. To
shut out the sound he put his fingers
in his ears.
When he heard the relief coming he
took up his pike and resumed his beat.
There was the ghostly thing still sway
ing in the wind. The sentry was re-
lieved, and his successor, q Drawer
man, marched to and fro on his beat
without fear. Once when passing it
occurred to him to strike it with his
pike. What was his surprise to hear
it emit q hollow sound. He struck 1t
again, with the same result. Then he
put a hand under one foot and lifted
1t without any more eXertion than
would be required to lift an empty
suit of armor.
Captain of the guard" he cried,
"the devil has flown away with the
spy's body"
The captain came, examined the
armor and stood aghast. Then he re-
ported the fact to the general. The
general came, saw and was conquered.
They were superstitious in those days,
and he believed that the spy was
supernatural being who had come TO
find out how best the stronghold could
be taken The ghost had seen that
but handful of men defended it. Be
sides, it had seen a circuitous path
that led to the rear, over which force
might come and fire into the works
from a greater height. The general
went trembling back to his quarters.
The next morning he saw the forces
of the enemy drawn up prepared to
climb the heights and detachment
moving toward the path leading to his
rear. Ie ordered a white flag display
ed on the battlements.
Later party carrying litter came
up the declivity. In the litter was n
girl. pale and languid. A young knight
who accompanied her stated that she
had been sent to receive the surren-
der. The general gave it, saying:
IT can fight men, but not spirits.
1cSlpEuUN IL NY ottllOuS SNl dhStl Was
observed spying on our works. He had
neither the face of man nor woman,
but n creature betwiXt the two. We
hanged him on the parapet that the
prince might be deferred from sending
others. In the night that which SEEM
ed to be body vanished.
smile came upon the girls wan
face. General" she said, 81 was this
supernatural creature. volunteered
to come and get the information re-
qulred for your defeat. Before the ex-
ecutlon I bowed thrice to the west.
which, by a code agreed upon, told the
prince your weakness and the best
route of procedure. When l was hang
ed my hair was loose under my he'll
met and protected my throat from the
I'll. ,,asINN To, H..