The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1913-10-10

line Of body which youth wears as a
promise, she moved across the ter
race in her flowing robe of Grape,
and welcomed me with a gesture and a
pleasant word, which l scarcely heard,
so stupidity ! stood, silenced by the
absolute loneliness Of the girl. Did
say loneliness? No, not that, but
something newer, something far more
fresh, far sweeter, that made mere
physical beauty a thing less vital than
the colorless shadow of a crystal.
l stepped forward to meet her, and
took off my forage-cap.
Us 1t true, monsieur, that you have
come to arrest us?" she asked, in a
low voice.
Eyes, madame" l replied, already
knowing that she was the Countess.
She hesitated; then:
"Will you tell me your name? l
am Madame de Vassart."
Cap in hand l followed her to the
table, where the company had already
risen. The young Countess presented
me with undisturbed simplicity;
bowed to my turkey-girl, who proved
after all, to be the actress from the
Odeon, Sylvia Elven; then l solemnly
shook hands with DR.. Leo belmont,
Professor Claude T%acernier, and Mon
sieur Ba2ard, ex-instructor at the Fon-
tainebleau Artillery School, whom 1
Immediately recognized as the snipe-
faced notary l had met on the road
Yesterday, Madame la Comtesse,'
l said, turning to the Countess de
Vassart, "the Emperor could easily
afford to regard with equanimity the
movement in which you are ~associat
ed. Today that is no longer possible"
The young Countess gave me a be-
wildered look.
rs it true" she asked, that the
Emperor does not know We have sew
cred all connection with the Interna-
tionale?"
IF that is So" said l, "why does
Monsieur Bazard return across the
fields to warn you of my coming? And
why do you harbor John Buckhurst at
La Trappe? Do you not know he is
wanted by the police?"
Monsieur Scarlet" said Mademoi-
selle Elven, suddenly, why does the
government want John B%uckhurst?"
"That, mademoiselle, is the affair of
the government and of John Buck
hurst" l said.
After a troubled silence the Count.
ess asked me If | would not share
their repast, and l thanked her and
took some bread and grapes and a
glass of red wine.
1t made me uncomfortable to play
the role l was playing among these
misguided but harmless people; that
l showed it in my face is certain, for
the Countess looked up at me and
said, smilingly: you must not look at
US so %sorrowfully Monsieur Scarlet.
1t is we who pity you"
And l replied, Madame, YOU are
generous" and took my place among
them and ate and drank with them
in silence, listening to the breeze in
the elms.
/ turned to DR.. belmont.
with the German armies massing
behind the forest borders yonder, 1t
is unsafe for the government to leave
you here at La Trappe, doctor. You
are too neutral"
"You mean the government fears
%treason?" demanded the doctor. grow
ing red.
Eyes" l said, If you insist"
The Countess had turned to me in
amazement.
Treason" she repeated, in an un
steady voice. rs it treason for a
small community to live quietly here
in the Alsatian hills, harming nobody.
asking nothing save freedom of
thought? Treason! Monsieur, the
word has an ugly ring to me. I am
a soldiers daughter!"
There was something ~touchingly
illogical in the last words-this Young
apostle of peace naively displaying her
credentials as though the mere word
soldier covered everything.
Because / have learned that the
boundaries Of nations are not the
frontiers of human hearts, am | a
traitor? Because l know no country
but the world, no speech but the uni
versal speech that one reads in a
brothers eyes, because l know no bar
riers, no boundaries, no limits to hu.
man brotherhood, am l a traitor?"
The young Countess had risen in
her earnestness and had laid one slen.
der, s%un-tanned hand upon the table.
WARP" she said. What is this
war to us? The Emperor? What is
he to us? We who have set a watch
on the worlds outer ramparts, guard.
Ing the white banner of universal
brotherhood! What is this war to
us!"
DO you mean to say that you care
nothing for your own birthland?" l
demanded, sharply.
Il love the world-all of it-every
inch-and If France Is part of the
world, so is this Prussia that we are
teaching our poor peasants to hate"
Madame" said l, "the women Of
France today think differently. Our
Creator did not make love Of country
q fvika virt,,a b,,k Donnto, nu -