The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-04-22
THE GREEN
THAT WALKED
by JOHN j.. CONSlDlNE

l |
lCopl.lsat, ~ 8hortstory Pub, CO.
captain" said The man on Post No
t.. I'd Ike 10 be relieved. A couple
# wct&s rest might put me right
aain,
What's the matter? Sick?'
"Not exactly tHat captain. It's my
eyes; I've been seeing things"
The Capain Of the guard eyed the
alan sharply
"Heaa dliHE0s?"
NO, sly. ITS not that--no pink rats
nor bila Elcuteys nor anything or
hat sort The fact is" and here he
oWcred his voice to the level Of
ondderUal whisper, although the
eaecst nan was the guard on Post
10. -. th.ee-a core yards away, I've
aeln 5ee.ag The grass walk.
WHAT'S that?" snapped the captain.
It's ialt, sir. didn't pay so much
1t,cnjioa to il at first, but now that
lis happened three times. I'm begin
ming to think that my eyes are going
back on me, or else that I'm getting
authorizations.
The captain locked at Guard No -
in dismay Hitherto he had regarded
this man as one of his sanest and
atcaGicst subordinates.
TEL ne about IT," he commanded.
There's rutHing to it, much, eX-
calt that every afternoon a patch OF
grass Gut there in the alfalfa field be
Gins to move Slowly toward the south
AZ first | thought it was the bay
breeze, rolling through the grass, but
then. rcColicctcd. its wave was
toward he bay. Besides, it seemed to
ne that this grass Just picked itself
up in a patch and moved along, indie
pendent Of the grass around.
Does this movement always start
from The sare point?'
no. each day it begins a little
further south"
Hum. A little closer to the south
a little closer to the bay, that is. AT
any regular tinc?
"Why. hadn't thought Of that Yes;
let me see. Yes, | believe 1t was Al
the same time each afternoon From
halfpast two to three, say"
The captain glanced at his watch.
ITS 2:35 now, he said. do you
see anything?"
Tic guard pecred long ana care
fully to the southwark
Yes, sir" he responded. Its on
me again-th grass moves"
"Where?" inquired tn captain
Tho guard pointed to a spot near
where the alfalfa field met the renee
line, Sure enough. as II seemed to the
captain, Il patch of green, probably
siy foot in length and three in width
was making speedy progress IN the
direction of the fence.
Take aim" shot from the captain
lips. Can you hit it?'
The guard raised his rife, but with
shaking hands.
Let me have it," cried the other
with scornful gesture.
Steeling his nerves, the guard fired
! The grass vas still.
The captain ran down the stairs
and toward it. Regardless of possible
reprimand, the guard followed Ar
rived at the spot, the officer stopped u
lilt and examine. an ingenious con
triyance. II consisted of two layers o
b,Irlap sacking. the upper one bearde'
! with grass The space between ha'
been filed with loan, and from thlS
planted in wheat, the green blsde
had forced their way through tn
/ laosolv.guarded interstlces OF the M
I per riece of cloth.
While the captain surveyed with ad
miIatinn undisguised this novel gar
cf living green. the form OF its &c
siauer. a man in stripes with shaver
head. lay at his feet
And beside the body, stricken VIII
vain regret. knelt Guard No. 10.
THE first ever killed he muttere
dumhlv. MAY God forgive mel