Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-09-05
I h G u ailv
Short Story
. A PURSUING SHADOW.
by Elliott Foster.

{ t.1l
dispatch of Importance which wish
you to deliver at once TO General Tav-
Tor I do not think there are any Mex
leans in the region between our two
separate forces. but there may be. You
can either take an escort or scout your
way alone.
Captain Allen Duane paled. His
general looked at his aid-de~Camp ed.
riously wonderingly, for he knew him
- be q brave man, then asked, which
course viii you adopt2'
Il shall scout through alone
AS ii the captain had chased away
dlsaEreeable suspicion as to his cour.
age, the general turned ComplaCen.Iy
to other matters,
What was 1t that caused the color
momentarily TO leave the cheek OF the
young officer at being ordered upon an
ordinary duty? He did not know aim-
self He knew only that some vague
message had come TO him 10 tell him
that this would be to aim a night OFF,
what? He did not know. More I'M fear
Of cowardice than danger, he shook off
the disagreeable impression. which
melted before his resolution like mist
before the sun,
Riding to the outposts. he left bis
horse and moved away into the debst-
able land held by neither American
nor Mexican. A young moon shon1
down on his shoulder casting ialug
shadow to his left and TO his rear. II
annoyed him. Turning to glance at it,
he could not refrain from a fancy thar
a figure was following him. Looking
straight ahead. he fixed his gaze on the
plain, over which here and there gvaW
scattered clumps of tropical lrees.
It was lonely cut there on that desc
late plain where the poorest Mexican
disdaiued 10 build even an abode hut
The yipers with which the country
abOunds had crawled into their holes
Despite his efforts to drive away Jhe
impression that his shadow was some
one following him, this impression
grew stronger. Turning again, be cast
quick glance behind. There was Gh8
shadow as before. Raising his eyes 90
the sky, he shuddered. The moon was
/ behind q cloud
1t was now clear to- Captain Duane
that the mysterious follower was not
his shadow. What was lt2 III o. hu-
man enemy, it woula have long before
tAis shot or knitted him ina the back
If friend, why did it not declare IT,
self and why did he not hear its
tread He listened. bat 10y the closest
attention he could not detect "a foot
step. And why. he asked himself, did
he, a soldier who had been twice bre-
yetted for bravery, shrink from turn
ing and confronting this mystical iu-
teusity Of shade? IL was the silence 3
dread Of something more than the daE-
gers he had faced during the din Of
battle, that kept his eyes fixed 20 the
front
By an effort he gathered strength 70
turn his head for one more glance
There was the figure more distinct
than before, yet not continuously SO
It seemed to Captain Duane that his
eyesight was not capable of holding
the image long enough TO see exactly
what il was Now, for au instant the
head and shoulders would keep their
form the face buny, with deep suukea
eyes IA broad, prominent m0utH
Then the legs, long thin ones. would be
tramping with one uninterrupted. NE
changed gait, the whole covered by
long lowing mantle which futterad in
the wind, yet there was no wind.
Desperate, the officer halted and
faced about.
Who comes there" he cried
The words broke the stiffness Ike
clap of thunder from "a serene sky
There was in them a singular distress
as il they had been for ages asking
question 70 which there had come no
reply. The figure stopped when the
speaker stopped, standing, waiting. as
though neither impatient nor tired,
confident that the object of its atteD-
ti0u would move on and ID would
again follow.
The young captain did move on.
Though his physical strength was un-
impaired. it, seemed TO him that his
soul was tagging; that 10 was slowly
but surely slipping away from him
He was as ready to meet an acc9Ft7m-
ed enemy and fight as braYejy as ever
As Captain Allen Duane he was Still
independent; as a human soul he was
losing himself
And now there in the distance IS
something white. lie shades mis- eyes
from every ray of moonlight and disc
covers white tents He lis nearing the
end of his mission A few more miles
and he viii be within the picket ille
of a friendly army VIII this aaado#5
tramper remain bchiud2
Captain Duane pushed on The i1-
equaliIies OF the road were no oosta-
Giles. He took Ho thought Of running
upon some rowing band of Ieyicans
The mysterious figure was closing
upon him. At last it came SO close
that Aif- ltN.ALA oALtfffaz l"NA t-H
like the m0ldy chill from Is tomb.
''Who comes there2" called the
picket
Why did not Captain Duane replT
"Friend with the counterstgn2' Was
ne dazed? Did he not hearE AT thaE
moment the shadOwy follower tower
ing above him bent and touched MN
on the shoulder There was the crack
Of a rifle The specter opened DTS
arms, and the soldier as he iel. was
caught in the folded mantle. The I9i-
lower was Death
Iu the morning body was seen
lying without General Tayiora pictes
line The officer Of the picket "eHs
out and found an aid-da-eamp en-
whose person was an important mes
sage. The picket had shot q friend