Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-11-19

: Since you've become such a great
man?" she haxarded. rs that too
strong?" This referred to the tea
mo, Just right" he nodded.
He was studying her with the polite.
yelled scrutiny OF a man Of the world.
A materialist, he would look o woman
over as he would a soldier when he
had been a major-general making an
inspection. She was slim, supple; he
liked slim. supple women. Yes, she
was twenty-seven, with the vivacity OF
seventeen retained. though she were
on the edge Of being an old maid &C
cording to the conventional notions.
Necks and shoulders that happened to
be at his side at dinner. he had found.
when they we're really beautiful. were
not averse to his glance Of appreci-
alive and discriminating admiration Of
physical charm, But he saw her
shrug slightly and caught a spark from
her eyes that made him vaguely con-
scious Of an offense to her sensibili.
ties, and he was wholly conscious that
the suggestion. bringing his faculties
up sharply, had the pleasure Of a novel
sensation.
How fast you have gone ahead"
she said. THAT little prophecy Of
mine did come true. You are chief Of
staff"
After a smile of satisfaction he cor
rected her.
Not quite; vice-chief-the right
hand man of His Excellency. l am a
buffer between him and the heads Of
divisions. This has led to the errone-
GUS assumption which l cannot too
forcibly deny"
He was proceeding with the phrase
ology habitual whenever men or wom-
en-. to flatter him, had intimated that
they realized that he was the actual
head of the army. His Excellency,
with the prestige of a career, must be
kept specifically enjoying the forms
of authority. To arouse hts jealousy
might curtail Westerling's actual
power.
YES, yes!" breathed Marta softly.
arching her eyebrows a trile as she
would when looking all around and
through a thing or when she found
any n beating about the bush. The
little frown disappeared and she
smiled underste1 dingly. you know
I'm not a perfect goose!" she added.
Had you been made chief OF STAFF in
name, too, all the old generals would
have been in the sulks and the young
generals jealous" she continued. THE
one way that you might have the
power to exercise was by proxy"
This downright frankness was an
other reflection Of the old days before
he was at the apex of the pyramid.
Now 1t was so unusual in his expert.
ence as to be almost a shock. On the
point Of arguing. he caught a mis-
chievous, delightful isn't that so2" in
her eyes. and replied:
Eyes. l shouldn't wonder II 1t were!"
Why shouldn't he admit the truth to
the one who had rung the bell of his
secret ambition long ago by recogniz-
ing in him the ability to reach his
goal? He marvelled at her grasp Of
the situation.
at wasn't SO very hard to say, vas
it?" she asked happily, In response to
his smile. Then, her gift Of putting
herself in another's place, while she
strove to look at things with his pur-
pose and vision, In full play, she went
on in a different tone. as much to her
self as to him: you have labored to
make yourself master OF a mighty or
g~anization. You did not care for the
non-essentials. You wanted the reality
of shaping results"
"Yes, the results. the power!" he
exclaimed.
Fifteen hundred r%egiments!" she
continued thoughtfully, looking at a
given point rather than at him. Every
regiment a blade which you would
bring to an v sharpness! Every
regiment a unit Of a harmonious whole,
knowing how to screen itself from fire
and give fire as long as hidden, in
answer to your will II war comes! That
is what you live and plan for, isn't TT"
Eyes, exactly! Yes, you have IT."
he said. His shoulders stifened as he
thrilled at seeing a picture Of him.
self, as he wanted to see himself, done