The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-31
A Pursuing
Shadow
BY ELLIOTT FOSTER

you 10 deliver at once 10 General Tay
Tor. i do not think there are any Mex
leans In the region between our tive
separate forces. but there may be- You
can either take an escort or scout your
way alone"
Captain Allen Duane paled. His gen
eral 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 a
disagreeable suspicion as to his cour-
age, the general turned complacently 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 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-
BILE 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 1t, he could
not refrain from fancy that 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 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 friend, why did 1t not declare It.
self? And why did he not hear its
tread? He listened. but by the closest
attention he could not detect a foot
step. And why, he asked himself, did
he, soldier who had been twice bre-
Iyetted 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 Z
than before, yet not continuously SO. 4
1t seemed to Captain Duane that his q,
eyesight was not capable of holding the +,
image long enough to see exactly what 4,
1t was. Now, for an instant, the head )
and shoulders would keep their form
the face bony, with deep sunken eyes
q 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 fluttered in the wind :
yet there was no wind. l.,
Desperate, the officer halted and fac
ed about.
who comes thereT' he cried.
The words broke the stiffness like II
clap OF thunder from a serene sky. =
There was in them singular distress, !.
rs If they had been for ages asking u
question to which there had come no .
reply. The figure stopped when the e
speaker stopped, standing, waiting, as =
.hough neither impatient nor tired, con- u
idcnt that the object of its attention n
would move on and it would again fol- lie
ow.
The young captain did move on. 4
Though his physical strength was I'M
impaired, 1t seemed to him that his
'oul was tagging; that it was slowly
out surely slipping away from him. P
lie was as ready to meet an accustom-
ID enemy and fight as bravely as ever.
Is Captain Allen Duane he was still
as human soul he was
osing himself. 81
And now there in the distance is til
white. He shades his eyes al
rom every ray of moonlight and dis &C
overs white tents. He is nearing the ce
nd of his mission. few more miles
nd he will be within the picket line m
friendly army. Will this shadowy sii
remain behind?
Captain Duane pushed on The In 70
qualities of the road were no obsta- XII
les. He took no thought Of running
pom some rowing band of Mexicans =
he mysterious figure was closing upon L
i'm. At last 1t came so close that he
ould almost feel its breath. like the
loldy chill from tomb. T.
who comes there?' called the ~
icket.
Why did not Captain Duane reply,
Friend with the countersign?' Was
e dazed? Did he not hear? At that 40
oment the shsdowy follower tower ~,
e above him bent and touched Linn -
D the shoulder. There was the crack 4.
rife. The specter opened his arms, ~
I'D the soldier as he fell was caught :.
the folded mantle. The follower was
cath.
~