I Had Been Standing There Hours - Or Possibly It Was Only Two Short
Minutes - When There Was One Loud, Piercing Shriek, That Made Me Almost
Scream, Too.
But after it was perfect silence, so I said to myself
that probably it had been a cat - that I was nervous and silly.
But
there came another shriek, another, and still another, so expressive
of terror that the blood almost froze in my veins. With teeth
chattering and limbs shaking so I could hardly step, I went to a front
window, and raising it I screamed, "Corporal of the guard!"
I saw the sentinel at the guardhouse stop, as though listening, in
front of a window where there was a light, and seeing one of the guard
gave strength to my voice, and I called again. That time the sentry
took it up, and yelled, "Corporal of the guard, No. 1!" Instantly
lanterns were seen coming in our direction - ever so many of the guard
came, and to our gate as they saw me at a window. But I sent them on
to the next house where they found poor Mrs. Norton in a white heap on
the grass, quite unconscious.
The officer of the day was still up and came running to see what the
commotion was about - and several other officers came. Colonel Gregory,
a punctilious gentleman of the old school - who is in command just
now - appeared in a striking costume, consisting of a skimpy evening
gown of white, a dark military blouse over that, and a pair of
military riding boots, and he carried an unsheathed saber.
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