The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-11-14

other was uninjured. Just as she cried
in distress:
But your hand-oh, your hand!"
His left hand hung limp from the
wrist, cut, mashed and bleeding. Its
nerves numbed, he had not as yet felt
any pain from the injury. Now he re-
garded it In kind of awakening stare
of realization Of deformity to come.
"Wool-gathering again." he NUT
tered to himself GROSSLY.
Then, seeing that she had turned
white, he thrust the disgusting thing
behind his back and twinged with the
movement. The pain was arriving.
1T must be bandaged!, | have a
handkerchief" she begged. I'm not
going to faint or anything like that"
only bruised-and it's the left. l
am glad it was not the right" he re-
piled. Westerling arrived and Joined
Marta in offers of assistance just as
they heard the prolonged honk OF an
automobile demanding the. right of
way at top speed in the direction of
the pass.
Thank you, but they're coming for
me-" said Lanstron to Westerling as
he glanced up the road.
Westerling was looking at the wreck.
Lanstron, who recognized him as an
officer though in multi. kicked bit of
the torn cloth over some apparatus to
hide 1t. At this Westerling smiled
family Then Lanstron saluted as Of
ficer to officer might salute across the
white posts, giving his name and re-
ceiving in return Westerling's.
They made a contrast, these two
men, the colonel of the Grays, swart
and sturdy, his physical vitality SO evil
dent, and the captain of the Browns.
some seven or eight years the junior,
bareheaded, in dishevelled fatigue
uniform. his lips twitching, his slender
body quivering with the pain that he
could not control, while his rather
bold forehead and delicate, sensitive
features suggested man Of nerve and
nerves who might have left expert
ments in a laboratory for an adventure
in the air. There was kind of chal-
lenge in their glances; the challenge
of an ancient feud of their peoples;
of the professional rivalry of polite
duellists. Lanstrons slight figure
seemed to express the weaker number
of the three million soldiers of the
Browns; Westerling's bulkier one, the
four million five hundred thousand Of
the Grays.
. You had a narrow squeak and you
made very snappy recovery at the
last second" said Westerling, passing
compliment across the white posts.
That's in the line of duty for you
and me, isn't it?' Lanstron replied,
j smile.
There was no pose in his fortitude.
He was evidently disguised with him.
self over the whole business, and he
turned to the group of three officers
and a civilian who alighted from big
Brown army automobile as If he were
prepared to have them say their worst
They seemed between the impulse OF
\ reprimanding and embracing him.
81 hope that you are not surprised at
Z the result" said the oldest of the Of
icers a man of late middle age, rather
affectionately and teasingly. He wore
! single order on his breast. a plain
iron cross, and the insignia of his rank
was that OF a field-marshal.
Not now. / should be again, sir, >
said Lanstron, looking full at the field
marshal in the appeal of one asking
> for another chance. 81 was wool-gath
ering. But shall not wool-gather mex
time. I've got reminder more urgent
q than string tied around my finger"
= Yes, that hand needs immediate at
tention," said the doctor. He and an
: other officer began helping Lanstror
into the automobile.
y "Good-by!" he called to the youn.
:, girl, who was still watching him will
!, big. sympathetic eyes. Il am comm,
:, back soon and land in the field, there
- and when | do, I'll claim a bunch O
flowers"
4, DO! What fun" she cried, as tn,
car started.
~ The field-msrshal was Partow. thei
chief of staff" Westerling asked.
. YES" said Mrs. Galland. 81 remem
70 Der when he was a young infantry off
Ger before the last war, before he hat
a won the iron cross and become 8,
:, great He was not of an army famil
- "a doctors son. but very clever an,
:, skilful"
Getting a little old for his work,
remarked Westerling. But apparent
"A ly he is keen enough to take a pei
IN sonal interest in anything new"
=, Wasn't 1t thrilling and-and tel
70 rible!" Marta exclaimed.
=. Yes, like war at our own doc
a. again." replied Mrs. Galland, who kne,
war. She had seen war raging on tn
N pass road. "Lanstron, the young ma
10 said his name was" she resumed afte
10 pause. mo doubt the Lanstrons @
RI Thorbourg. An old family and man
o Of them in the army"
sd THE way he refused to give in-tha
k was fine!" said Marta
ut Westerling, who had been engrosse
in his own thoughts, looked up.
x Courage l. the cheapest thing a
:" army has! You can get hundreds c
ps young officers who are glad to take