The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-02-07
The Ghost Spy.
[orIEinall

DoJ, whenever ne may pc, at Time
working with as, at times lookin
about him at the approaches, ii
mote, the walls, as if searching for
weak point. He did not remove hi
armor, as we did. for freedom to wor
and kept his visor closed Suspectln
him, we seized him.
"Ah har' exclaimed the genera
take him to the parapet and hang hir
In view Of the prince who sent him"
A gibbet was erected, a ladder place.
in position and the prisoner taken on (
the parapet for hanging. He begge'
that be might offer his last Alteration
to his God In his own way, and whel
permission was given him, facing h
the west, where the sun was sinking
he bowed low three times.
Hes worse than heathen. criet
the captain OF the execution party
HE worships fire. Send him to hell
where he belongs"
The youth was forced to climb ths
ladder, the moose was put about bis
neck, and the ladder was kicked away
There were 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 grewsome object on his beat
At first he would not look at 1t. 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 arrAor ex-
cept lock Of hair that hung below the
helmet.
1T doth amaze me-" muttered the
sentry, ''bow long these cavaliers wear
their locks. Mayhap 1t serves for a
rope whereby Satan lowers them into
the burning lake"
Encouraged by the thought. he gave
the corpse a poke with his pike. AS it
swung back toward him he thought
he heard a low moan. Darling to the
end of his beat, he hid behind n stone
projection and could not induce hinl-
self to again walk past the body
While he stood shivering in his corner
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-
lieyed, and his successor. a drawer
man, marched to and fro on his beat
without fear Once when passing 1t
occurred to him to strike IL with his
pike What was bis surprise to hear
it emit hollow sound lie struck 1t
again, with the same result Then he
put hand under one foot and lifted
It 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 bodyg
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 1t, Be
sides, it had seen circuitous path
that led to the rear, over which a force
might come and fire into the works
from 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 He ordered white flag display
ed on the battlements.
Later a party carrying litter came
mp the decllyity. In the litter was a
girl. pale and anguid. A young knight
who accompanied her stated that she
had been sent to receive the surren
der. The general gave it. saying: 4
II can fight men. but not spirits.
Yesterday a mysterious stranger was
observed spying on our works He had
neither the face Of man nor woman,
but a creature betwixt the two. We
Banged him on the parapet that the
prince might be deferred from sending
pthers. In the night that which seem
81 to be body vanished
A smile came upon the girls wan
race. General" she said, Il was this
creature. ! volunteered
III come aud get the Information 70
alsIred for your defeat Before the ex-
efnkion / bowed thrice to the west.
which. by code agreed upon, told the
prince your weakness and the best
rolta OF procedure. When was hang
ca ny hair was loose under my he'll
Tnn and protected my throat from the
Do0eA which, too, caught in a projec
tlp0 q my armor remained uncon-
sci90z tili"- She looked at her COM
panIan He said:
IS ng the body OF my affianced
bride banging on the parapet. resolv-
ed te secure 1t or die. A party brought
Iadda#k, by which ! crossed the moat
and ~ another climbed the battle
mctf AS was about to cut the body ,
down / heard a moan. loosened the
nooss. took the burden to the other
side Of the moat and sent man back J
with the armor to hang it up. thinking
q conceal the theft till we could take
counsel Our brave girl was brought
Back TO consciousness. and the prince
zate Der the right to receive your sur
render"