The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-02-05
The, Chest Spy.
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boy. whichever, he may be, at times
workknxs with us, at times looking
about him at the approaches, the
mote the walls, ~ II searching for d
weak point. He did not remove his
armor. as we Uld, FOR freedom to work
ana 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, a ladder placed
in position and the prisoner taken on ia
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, whore the sun was sinking.
he bowed low three times.
Hes worse than heathen," cried
the captain Of the execution party.
"He worships FIRE. Send him to hell.
where he belongs" 2 W. -~
The youth was forced to climb the
ladder, the moose was put about his
neck, and the ladder was kicked away.
There were a few jerks and all was
quiet. '"f ''f 80
The night was dark. The sentry who
guarded that part OF the parapet where
the spy hung was obliged to pass and
repnss the grewsome object on his beat.
At first he would not look at It. Then
in passing he turned his eyes toward
1t, as though compelled by dread fas.
eination. There was nothing Of the
body to be seen within the armor ex-
cept a lock OF hair that hung below the
helmet.
ut doth amaze me-" muttered tho
sentry, chow 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 poke with his pike. AS 1t
swung back toward him he thought
he heard a low moan. Darting to the
end of his beat, he hid behind a stone
projection ana could not induce him
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-
lieved, and his successor. braver
man, marched TO- and fro on his beat
without fear. Once when passing II
occurred to him 10 strike 1t with his
pike. whnt was lhs surprise to hear
1t emit a hollow sound. He struck II
again, with the same result. Then he
put n hand under one foot and lifted
1t without any more exertion than
would be required to lift an empty
suit Of nrmor.
Captain of the guard" he cried,
"the devil has flown away with the
spy's body" ae
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 q
supernatural being who had come to
find out how best the stronghold could
be taken. The ghost had seen that
but a handful of men defended 1t. Be
sides, It had seen a circuitous patti
that led to the rear, over which q 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 tt
climb the heights and detachment
moving toward the path leading to his
rear. He ordered white flag display
ed ON the battements.
Later a party carrying litter came
up the declivity. In the litter was a
girl. pale and languld. A young knight
who accompanied her stated that she
had been sent to receive the. surren'
der. The general gave 1t, saying:
81 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 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 q body vanished.
A smile came upon the girls wan
face. General" she said, II was this
supernatural creature. volunteered
to come and get the Information re-
quired for your defeat. Before the ex
ecution I bowed thrice to the west
which, by code agreed upon. told the
prince your weakness and the best
route of procedure. When was hang
ca my hair was loose under my he'll
met and protected my throat from the
moose. which, too, caught in projec
tlon of my armor. remained uncon
sclous till''--, She looked at her com
panion. He said:
| Seeing the body of my affianced
bride hanging on the parapet. resolv
sd to secure It or die. A party brought
ladders. by, which crossed the moat
and BY another climbed the battle
Ihent. Az was about to cut the body
down I heard d moan. loosened the
moose, took the burden to the othel
siiie of the moat and sent a man back
It---a a. -. l.. -. go