Rock Island Argus., 1914-09-21

looking down a turnpike which ex-
tended through a depression and, rising
again, entered a small town half mile
away. Hearing horses hoofs behind
him. he turned and saw his general, at
tended by his staff. riding toward him.
Turn out the guard, the general
commandingw cried the picket.
"Never mind the guard" said the
general and, riding to the point where
the captain had been standing, looked
at the town beyond with wtstful eye,
then said to his subordinate:
Captain, how many men are there
in your picket postT
There are thirty under my command
distributed over a quarter of mile.
But right here have eight men and
sergeant"
"Have you seen any indications Of
the enemy in the town.
"None whatever"
The general turned away with evi-
dent reluctance.
II wish you," he said, ''to keep
sharp lookout for the Confederates
there. The place is of great strategic
Importance to us in this campaign. By
tomorrow morning General DIS brigade
will come up and, provided the enemy
has not already done so, will occupy
the town. I am hoping that he will be
in time, for the fate Of this campaign
rests with that position. If the enemy
comes in there tonight he will fortify
it and we shall not be able TO drive
him out without a hard fight, which in
our present condition would not be
a4;1 HI -l,,r nj
keep me advised"
May 1 not advance my post to the
town, general?"
"No; that would involve an advance
of the entire picket line"
The general rode away. Private Tom
BiXby, who had been standing at at
tention beside the road and had heard
what had been said, dropped the butt
of his musket on the ground and re-
sumed the position of a picket on the
lookout. The rest of the afternoon
his mind was on the town and the
question which side would get there
first. At sunset he was relieved and
ate his supper. Then, lighting his pipe.
he sat down on the ridge and smoked
and looked for signs of soldiers in the
town on the other side of the valley.
When it was dark he knocked the
ashes out Of his pipe, went to his cap
tain and, saluting respectfully, said:
Captain, it seems to me that, con-
we can't see what's going on
in the dark, some one should recon
hotter"
You may go If you choose"
"All right. I'll just walk down the
road and up the other side of the val
ley, near enough to see If there is any
stir, and If there is I'll come back
and let you know
Tom sauntered away into the dark
ness. On reaching the edge Of the
town he saw citizens moving about,
but no soldiers. The people went to
bed early, and when everything was
quiet Tom made an entry. Passing
a shop under a sign lotto Schmitt,
Tom, thinking 1t a good
to replenish his stock of
went inside. After buying
what he wanted he fell into conversa-
lion with the proprietor, who, being
a German, had no especial affiliation
with the Confederate cause. Before
the shop stood the figure of a man
lighting his pipe. Schmitt, who was
IN ingenious mechanic, had made 1t
himself for a sign. With one hand
he figure held the pipe, while in the
other was a match. In the pipe bowl
was tobacco. 4 rubber tube led from
he pipestem into the store. Schmitt
oy pulling on q wire could light the
match and smoke from the shop. Tom
noticed the mechanism near the shop
window and asked what it was. |
schmitt not only explained it to him, |
)ut put it in operation.
An idea popped into Toms brain. If |
lie had that figure and connections on
he side of the town from which the |
would approach possibly |
lie might make them believe that the |
Tederals had got ahead of them and |
lad occupied the town. He took |
;chmitt into his confidence and told |
iim that if he would lend him his sign |
nd help him carry it to n new location |
lie thought the Federal general might |
'ay him very handsomely-that is, If |
he ruse succeeded.
The German hesitated. Most Of the !
itiZens of the place were Confederate
and he feared that If his
ct became known he would suffer for
t But Tom assured him that If the
OWN was unoccupied by the Confeder-
tes at daylight the Federals would
urely enter it in force, and the hope
{ profit won him over. He shut up
is shop, put out the lights, and an
our later, when not n footstep was to
e heard on the street, he and Tom
lrried the figure to the road by which
ne Confederates would be likely TO ad-
ance. Reaching an eminence on
'hich picket could be seen from a
istance, they set up the dummy In the
liddle OF the road. Tom could not
IKE off its Confederate uniform, but
q could put his own over 1t. which he
ID. and rested his musket In the hol-
wv of the arm holding the pipe.
Schmitt meanwhile was making the
filling the pipe and lead
. H.1