Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-08
THE LAST SHOT
By FREDERICK PALMER
Copyright. 1914. by Charles scribner's sons.

o.
Marta, that is all, he concluded.
III there is war, the moment that
Feiler's ruse is discovered he will be
shot as a spv?" she asked.
Il warned him Of that said Lam
stron. He is soldier, with a SOL
dier's fatalism. He sees no more dan.
der In this than in commanding a bat
terry in crisis"
Suppose that the Grays win? Sup
pose that La Tir is permanently
theirs7"
They shall not win! They must
not!" Lanstron exclaimed. his tone az
rigid as Westerlings toward her sec
ond prophecy.
Yet IL they should win and Wester-
ling finds that have been party to
this treachery, as / shall be now that
/ am In the secret, think Of the posi-
tion Of my mother and myself" she
continued. HAS that occurred to you.
friend, in making our property, our
garden, our neutrality, which is our
only defense, q factor in one OF your
plans without our permission?"
Her eyes. blue>black IN appeal and
reproach, revealed the depths of a
wound as they had on the terrace steps
before luncheon, when he had been
apprised of feeling for him by seeing
1t dead under his blow. The logic of
the chief of Intelligence withered. He
understood how a friendship to her
was, indeed, more sacred than patriotic
passion. He realized the shame of
what he had done now that he was
free Of professional influences.
you are right, Marital" he replied.
TT was beastly OF me-there is no ex-
cuse."
He looked around to see an orderly
from the nearest military wireless sta
ton.
Il was told 1t was urgent, SIR" said
the orderly, in excuse for his intrusion,
as he passed telegram to Lanstron
Immediately Lanstron felt the touch
OF the paper his features seemed to
take on mask that concealed his
thought as he read:
Take night express. Come direct
from station to me. Partow"
This meant that he would be ex-
pected at Partows office at eight the
next morning. He wrote his answer:
the orderly saluted and departed at q
rapid pace; and then, as a matter of
habit OF the same kind that makes
some men wipe their pens when lay
ing them down, he struck match and
set fire to one corner OF the paper,
which burned to his fingers ends be-
fore he tossed the charred remains
away. Marta imagined what he would
be like with the havoc of war raging
around him-all self-possession and
mastery; but actually he was trying to
reassure himself that he ought not to
feel petulant over holiday cut short.
II shall have to go at once" he said.
Marta, II there were to be war very
soon-within a week or two weeks
hat would be your attitude about Eel
ler's remaining?"
ITO carry out his plan, you mean"
YES"
There was a perceptible pause on
her part
Let him stay" she answered. Il
shall have time to decide even after
war begins"
But instantly war begins you must
gol" he declared urgently.
You forget a precedent" she re-
minded him. "The Galland women
have never deserted the Galland
! housed"
7 know the precedent But this
time the house will be in the thick of
the fighting"
ut has been in the thick of the fight
Ing before" she said, with gesture of
impatience.
Marta, you will promise not to re-
main ?" he urged.
isn't that my AFFAIR."" she asked.
Aren't you willing to leave even that
to me after all you have been telling
how you are to make a redoubt of our
lawn. inviting the shells of the enemy
into our drawing-room
What could he say? Only call up
from the depths the two passions of
his life in an outburst, with all the
force of his nature in play.
'1 love this soil, my country's soil,
ours by right-and love you! would
be true to both!"
Love! What mockery to mention
that now!" she cried chokingly. Its
monstrous!"
II" He was making an effort
TO keep his nerves under control.
This time the stiffening elbow failed.
With a lurching abruptness he swung
his right hand around and seized the
wrist of that trembling, injured hand
that would not be still. She could not
fail to noice the movement, and the
sight was magic that struck anger
out of her.
"Lanny, am hurting you!" she cried
miserably.
"A little," he said. will finally domi.
nant over its servant, and he was
smiling as when, half stunned and In
agony-and ashamed OF the fact-he
had risen from the debris of cloth and
twisted braces. IT'S all right" he CON.
cluded
She threw back her arms. her head
raised. with a certain abandon as IL
sne would bare her heart.