The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-09-13
A Pursuing
Shadow
By ELLIOTT FOSTER

separate forces, but there may be. You
ean either take an escort or scout your
way alone"
Captain Allen Duane paled. His gen.
sral looked at his aid-de-camp curious
ly, wonderingly, for he knew him to be
brave man, then asked, (which
course will you adOpt?'
II shall scout through alone"
AS IL the captain had chased away
disagreeable suspicion as to his cour-
age, the general turned complacently to
other matters.
What was 1t that caused the color
mOmentarfly to leave the cheek of the
young officer at being ordered upon an
ordinary duty! He did not know him
self. He knew only that some vague
message had come to him to tell him
that this would be to him a night Of
what? He did not know. More in 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 his
horse and moved away into the debata,
bic land held by neither American nor
Mexican. A young moon shone down
on his shoulder. casting faint shadow
to his left and to his rear. 1t annoyed
him. Turning to glance at it, he could
not refrain from a fancy that a figure
was following him. Looking straight
ahead, he fixed his gaze on the plain,
over which here and there grew scat
tered clumpS of tropical trees.
1t was lonely out there on that desc
late plain where the poorest Mexican
disdained to build even an adobe hut.
The vipers with which the country
abounds had crawled into their holes.
Despite his efforts to drive away the
| impression that his shadow was some
one following him, this impression grew
stronger. Turning again. he cast a
quick glance behind. There was the
shadow as before. Raising his eyes to
the sky, he shuddered. The moon was
behind a cloud.
1t was now clear TO Captain Duane
that the mysterious follower was not
his shadow. What was it? If hui
man enemy, 1t would have long before
this shot or knitted him in the back
If a friend, why did It not declare it.
self? And why did he not hear It's
tread: He listened, but by the closest
attention he could not detect a foot
step. And why. he asked himself, did
he a soldier who had been twice bre-
vetted for bravery, shrink from turning
and confronting this mystical intensity
of shade? 1t was the silence, a dread
of something more than the dangers he
had faced during the din of battle, that
kept his eyes fixed to the front.
BY an effort he gathered strength to
turn his head for one more glance
There was the figure, more distinct
than before. vet not continuously SO
1t seemed to Captain Duane that his
eycSight was not capable of holding the
image long enough to see exactly what
it was Now, for an instant, the head
and shoulders would keep their form
the face bony, with deep sunken eyes
Il broad, prominent mouth. Then the
legs long thin ones, would be tramping
with one uninterrupted, unchanged
gait. the whole covered by long flow
ing mantle which fiuttered in the wind
yet there was no wind.
| Desperate, the officer halted and fac
ed about.
Who comes theref he cried.
| The words broke the stiffness like a
clap of thunder from a serene sky.
| There was IN them singular distress.
as if they had been for ages asking a
question to which there had come no
reply. The figure stopped when the
speaker stopped, standing, waiting as
though neither impatient nor tired, con
| tidcnt that the object of its attention
would move on and 1t would again fol
| low.
The young captain did move on.
| Though his physical strength was I'M
impaired, it seemed to him that his
soul was tagging; that it was slowly
! but surely slipping away from him.
He was as ready to meet an accustOm-
ed enemy and fight as bravely as ever.
AS Captain Allen Duane he was still
independents; as human soul he was
| losing himself
And now there in the distance is
something white He shades his eyes
from every ray of moonlight and dis
coyers white tents. He is nearing the
end Of his mission. \ few more miles
and he win be within the picket line
Of a friendly army Win this shadowy
| tramper remain behind?
Captain Duane pushed on The in
equalitieS of the road were no obsta-
cles. He took no thought of running
upon some rowing band of MeXicans
The mysterious figure was closing upon
him. At last it came so close that he
could almost fosl its breath, like the
moldy chill from a tomb.
"Who comes there" called the
picket
Why did not Captain Duane reply
Friend with the cOuntersign? Wa
he dazed? Did he not hear? At that
moment the shadowy follower tower
ing above him bent and touched hin
on the shoulder. There was the cracE
of rifle. The specter opened his arms
| and tho Sol1iar 40 ha foil was paIoh.