Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-04-08
THE GREEN
THAT WALKED
By JOHN L. CoNsIDINE

Copyright, by shortstory Pub Coz
Captain" said the man on Post No.
13, I'D like to be relieved. A couple
of weeks rest might put me right
again
whats the matter? Sick?"
Not exactly that, captain. It's my
eyes; I've been seeing things"
The captain of the guard eyed the
man sharply
Been drinking?'
mo, sir. Its not that-no pink rats
nor blue monkeys, nor anything of
that sort The fact is and here he
lowered his voice to the level of
confidential whisper, although the
nearest man was the guard on Post
No. -, three-score yards away, 1--WE
been seeing the grass walk
What's that?" snapped the captain.
Its fact, sir. ! didn't pay so much
attention to it at first, but now that
it's happened three times, I'm begin
ming to think that my eyes are going
back on me, or else that I'm getting
hallucinations,"
The captain looked at Guard No. 13
in dismay. Hitherto he had regarded
this man as one of his sanest and
steadiest subordinates.
Tell me about it" he commanded.
There's nothing to it, much, ex-
cept that every afternoon a patch of
grass out there in the alfalfa field be-
al
At first | thought it was the bay
breeze, rolling through the grass, but
then, l recollected, it's wave was
toward the bay Besides, it seemed to
me 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 same point?'
mo; each day it begins little
further south
Hum. A little closer to the south
little closer to the bay, that is. AT
any regular time?'
"Why, / hadn't thought of that. Yes;
let me see. Yes, believe it was at
the same time each afternoon. From
half-past two to three, say"
The captain glanced at his watch.
Its 2:35 now,' he said. '.Do you
see anything?"
The guard peered long and care
| fully to the southwark
| YES, SIR" he responded. Its on
me again-the grass moves"
"Where?" inquired tn captain.
The guard pointed to a spot near
where the alfalfa field met the fence
| line Sure enough, as it seemed to the
captain patch of green, probably
six feet 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 rifle, but With
shaking hands
Let me have it," cried the other
with a scornful gesture.
Steeling his nerves, the guard fired
The grass was 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 tc
lift, and examine, an ingenious con
trivance. 1t consisted of two layers OF
burlap sacking, the upper one bearded
with grass. The space between ha(
been filled with loan, and from this
planted in wheat, the green blades
had forced their way through the
loosely guarded intcrstices OF the up
per piece of cloth.
While the captain surveyed with ad
miration undisguised this novel CARL
of living green, the form of its de
signer, man in stripes with shaver
head, lay at his feet.
And beside the body, stricken will
vain regret, knelt Guard No. 10.
THE first I ever killed, he muttereC
dumbly. May God forgive mel"