Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-11-06
CHAPTER Ill-Contlnued.

But l am not! No, no, not about
guch a CHASTITY subject as war to-
day." She was leaning toward him,
hands on knee and eyes burning like
Goals without q spark. 'I''-she paused
es she had before she broke out with
Ehe first prophecy-"I will quote part
of our children's oath: I will not be
q coward. 1t is a coward who strikes
first. A brave man even after he re-
ceives a blow tries to reason with his
assailant, and does not strike back un-
It'll he receives second blow. / shall
mot let burglar drive me from my
house. If an enemy tries to take my
dand l shall appeal to his sense Of JUS
nice and reason with him, but II he
then persists l shall fight for my
nome If l am victorious l shall not
try to take his land but to make the
most of my own. l shall never cross a
frontier to kill my fellowmen.'
Very impressive she made the oath.
Her deliberate recital Of it had the
quality which justifies every word
with an urgent faith.
you see, with that teaching there
can be no war;" she proceeded, "and
those who strike will be weak; those
who defend will be strong"
Perhaps" he said.
you would not like to see thou
sands, hundreds Of thousands, Of men
KILLED and manned, would you?" she
demanded, and her eyes held the hor-
ror of the sight in reality. "You can
prevent it-you can!" Her heart was
I'm the appeal.
1.-THE old argument! No, l should
not like to see that" he replied. II
only do my duty as a soldier to my
country"
"The old answer! The more reason
why you should tell the premier you
can't! But there is still another reason
Cor telling him." she urged gently.
Now he saw her not at twentyseven
out at seventeen, girlish, the subject
of no processes Of reason but in the
spell of an intuition, and he knew that
something out of the blue in a flash
was coming.
For you will not win!" she declared.
This struck fire. Square jaw and
sturdy body, in masculine energy, reso-
lutte and trained, were set indomitably
against feminine vitality.
Yes, we shall win! We shall win!"
he said without even the physical dem.
Unstration of gesture and in a hard
oven voice which was like that of the
machinery of modern war itself, q
voice which the aristocratic sniff, the
Louis XVI curls, or any of the old gal
ry-display heroes would have thought
ntterly lacking in histrionics suitable
80 the occasion. He remained rigid
after he had spoken, handsome, self.
possessed.
There was no use Of beating femi
mine fists against such stone wall
The force of the male was supreme
Che smiled with strange, quivering
loosening Of the lips. She spread out
her hands with fingers apart, as if tc
let something run free from them into
9he air, and the fame of appeal that
had been in her eyes broke into many
lights that seemed to scatter into
space, yet ready to return at her com
gnand. She glanced at the clock and
rose, almost abruptly.
Il was very strenuous riding my
hobby against yours, wasn't II" she ex
claimed in flutter of distraction tina,
made it easy for him to descend from
his own steed. II stated feeling.
made guess, threat about your
winning-and all in the air. That's q
woman's privilege; one men grant
isn't it?"
I'VE enjoy doing So" he replied, all
Nrbanity.
Thank you'll" she said simply. az
must be at home In time for the chill
dren's lesson on Sunday. My sleeper
is engaged, and If am not to miss the
train l must go Immediately"
With an undeniable shock Of regre
he realized that the interview wa,
over. Really, he had had very goot
time; not only that, but
VIII II be ten years before we NEE
again? ?" he asked.
Perhaps, unless you change the
rules about officers crossing the from
tier to take tea," she replied.
Even if l did, the vice-chief of stat
might hardly CO."
Then perhaps you must wait" she
warned him, until the teachers o.
peace have done away with all from
tiers"
COR, III there were war, should
come" he answered in kind. He hal
wished that this might start another
argument and she would miss hei
train. But she made no reply. "Ant
FsV may come to the Gray capita