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This story by Ambrose Bierce was adapted into Special English by Dona de Sanctis.

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•  Carter Druse was born in Virginia.
•  He loved his parents, his home and the south.
•  But he loved his country, too.
•  And in the autumn of 1861, when the United States was divided by a terrible civil war, Carter Druse, a southerner, decided to join the Union Army of the north.
•  He told his father about his decision one morning at breakfast.
•  The older man looked at his only son for a moment, too shocked to speak.
•  Then he said, "As of this moment you are a traitor to the south.
•  Please don't tell your mother about your decision.
•  She's sick, and we both know she has only a few weeks to live."
•  Carter's father paused, again looking deep into his son's eyes.
•  "Carter," he said, "No matter what happens -- be sure you always do what you think is your duty."
•  Both Carter Druse and his father left the table that morning with broken hearts.
•  And Carter soon left his home, and everyone he loved to wear the blue uniform of the Union soldier.
•  One sunny afternoon, a few weeks later, Carter Druse lay with his face in the dirt by the side of a road.
•  He was on his stomach, his arms still holding his gun.
•  Carter would not receive a medal for his actions.
•  In fact, if his commanding officer were to see him, he would order Carter shot immediately.
•  For Carter was not dead or wounded.
•  He was sleeping while on duty.
•  Fortunately, no one could see him.
•  He was hidden by some bushes, growing by the side of the road.
•  The road Carter Druse had been sent to guard was only a few miles from his father's house.
•  It began in a forest, down in the valley, and climbed up the side of a huge rock.
•  Anyone standing on the top of this high rock would be able to see down into the valley.
•  And that person would feel very dizzy, looking down.
•  If he dropped a stone from the edge of this cliff, it would fall for six hundred meters before disappearing into the forest in the valley below.
•  Giant cliffs, like the one Carter lay on, surrounded the valley.
•  Hidden in the valley's forest were five union regiments -- thousands of Carter's fellow soldiers.
•  They had marched for thirty-six hours.
•  Now they were resting.
•  But at midnight they would climb that road up the rocky cliff.
•  Their plan was to attack by surprise an army of southerners, camped on the other side of the cliff.
•  But if their enemy learned about the Union Army hiding in the forest, the soldiers would find themselves in a trap with no escape.
•  That was why Carter Druse had been sent to guard the road.
•  It was his duty to be sure that no enemy soldier, dressed in gray, spied on the valley, where the union army was hiding.
•  But Carter Druse had fallen asleep.
•  Suddenly, as if a messenger of fate came to touch him on the shoulder, the young man opened his eyes.
•  As he lifted his head, he saw a man on horseback standing on the huge rocky cliff that looked down into the valley.
•  The rider and his horse stood so still that they seemed made of stone.
•  The man's gray uniform blended with the blue sky and the white clouds behind him.
•  He held a gun in his right hand, and the horse's reins in the other.
•  Carter could not see the man's face, because the rider was looking down into the valley.
•  But the man and his horse seemed to be of heroic, almost gigantic size, standing there motionless against the sky.
•  Carter discovered he was very much afraid, even though he knew the enemy soldier could not see him hiding in the bushes.
•  Suddenly the horse moved, pulling back its head from the edge of the cliff.
•  Carter was completely awake now.
•  He raised his gun, pushing its barrel through the bushes.
•  And he aimed for the horseman's heart.
•  A small squeeze of the trigger, and Carter Druse would have done his duty.
•  At that instant, the horseman turned his head and looked in Carter's direction.
•  He seemed to look at Carter's face, into his eyes, and deep into his brave, generous heart.
•  Carter's face became very white. His entire body began shaking.
•  His mind began to race, and in his fantasy, the horse and rider became black figures, rising and falling in slow circles against a fiery red sky.
•  Carter did not pull the trigger.
•  Instead, he let go of his gun and slowly dropped his face until it rested again in the dirt.
•  Brave and strong as he was, Carter almost fainted from the shock of what he had seen.
•  Is it so terrible to kill an enemy who might kill you and your friends?
•  Carter knew that this man must be shot from ambush -- without warning.
•  This man must die without a moment to prepare his soul; without even the chance to say a silent prayer.
•  Slowly, a hope began to form in Carter Druse's mind. Perhaps the southern soldier had not seen the northern troops.
•  Perhaps he was only admiring the view.
•  Perhaps he would now turn and ride carelessly away.
•  Then Carter looked down into the valley so far below.
•  He saw a line of men in blue uniforms and their horses, slowly leaving the protection of the forest.
•  A foolish Union officer had permitted his soldiers to bring their horses to drink at a small stream near the forest.
•  And there they were -- in plain sight!
•  Carter Druse looked back to the man and horse standing there against the sky.
•  Again he took aim.
•  But this time he pointed his gun at the horse.
•  Words rang in his head -- the last words his father ever spoke to him:
•  "No matter what happens, be sure you always do what you think is your duty."
•  Carter Druse was calm as he pulled the trigger of his gun.
•  At that moment, a Union officer happened to look up from his hiding place near the edge of the forest.
•  His eyes climbed to the top of the cliff that looked over the valley.
•  Just looking at the top of the gigantic rock, so far above him, made the soldier feel dizzy.
•  And then the officer saw something that filled his heart with horror.
•  A man on a horse was riding down into the valley through the air!
•  The rider sat straight in his saddle.
•  His hair streamed back, waving in the wind.
•  His left hand held his horse's reins while his right hand was hidden in the cloud of the horse's mane.
•  The horse looked as if it were galloping across the earth.
•  Its body was proud and noble.
•  As the frightened Union officer watched this horseman in the sky, he almost believed he was witnessing a messenger from heaven.
•  A messenger who had come to announce the end of the world.
•  The officer's legs grew weak, and he fell.
•  At almost the same instant, he heard a crashing sound in the trees.
•  The sound died without an echo and all was silent.
•  The officer got to his feet, still shaking.
•  He went back to his camp, but he didn't tell anyone what he had seen.
•  He knew no one would ever believe him.
•  Soon after firing his gun, Carter Druse was joined by a Union sergeant.
•  Carter did not turn his head as the sergeant kneeled beside him.
•  "Did you fire?" The sergeant whispered.
•  "Yes."
•  "At what?"
•  "A horse. It was on that rock. It's not there now. It went over the cliff."
•  Carter's face was white, but he showed no other sign of emotion.
•  The sergeant did not understand.
•  "See here, Druse," he said, after a moment's silence.
•  "Why are you making this into a mystery.
•  I order you to report.
•  Was there anyone on the horse?" "Yes."
•  "Who?"
•  "My father."