Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-12-30

came features OF this period. which
was only a warming-up practice for
the war demon before the orgy OF
impending assault on the main line.
Marta began to realize the immen-
sity of the chessboard and of the
forces engaged in more than the bare
! statement Of numbers and distances.
, II first attack on a position failed,
the wires from the Galland house re-
| peated their orders to concentrate
more guns and attack again. Ia the
end the Browns always yielded, but
grudgingly, calculatingly, never be-
ing taken by surprise. The few Of
them who fell prisoners said. God
with u.s. We shall win in the end! 7"
and answered no questions. Gradually
the Gray army began TO feel that 1t
was battling with a mystery which
was fighting under cover, falling back
under cover-a tenacious. watchful
mystery that sent sprays Of death into
every finger Of flesh that the Grays
thrust forward in assault
Another position taken. Our ad-
vance continues" was the only news
that Westerling gave to the army, his
people, and the world, which forgot
its sports and murders and divorce
cases in following the progress Of the
first great European war for two gen.
erations. He made no mention Of the
costs his casualty lists were secret.
The Gray hosts we're sweeping for
ward as a slow. irresistible tide; this
by Partow's own admission. He an
nounced the loss Of a position as
promptly as the Grays its taking. He
published a daily list of CT sualties so
meager In contrast to their own that
the Grays thought it false; he made
known the names of the killed and
wounded to their relatives. Yet the
seeming candor OF his press bureau
included no straw of information of
military vPiue to me enemy.
Westerhos never went to tea at the
Gallands' with the other officers, for it
was part of his cultivation of great.
ness to keep aloof from his subordi-
mates. His meetings with Marta hap
pened casually when he went out into
the garden. Only once had he made
any reference to the And then" of
their interview In the arbor.
Il am winning battles for you'll" he
had exclaimed with the thing In his
eyes which she loathed
To her 1t was equivalent to saying
that she had tricked him into sending
men to be killed in order to pleas !.
her. She despised herself for the
way he contided in her; yet she had
TO go on keeping his confidence, re-
turning a tender glance with one that
held out hope. She learned not to
shudder when he spoke of a loss of
only ten thousand" In order to rally
herself when she grew fainthearted
to her task. she learned to picture the
lines of his face hard-set with five
against-three brutality. while In com
fort he ordered mutitudes to DEATH
and, in contrast, to recall the smile
of Dellarme. who asked his soldiers to
undergo no risk that he would not
share. And after every success he
would remark that he was so much
nearer Engadir. that position OF the
main line of defense whose weakness
she had revealed
Your Engadir!" he came to say.
Then we shall again profit by your
information; that is. unless they have
fortified since you received it."
"They haven't. They had already
fortified" she thought She was al.
ways seeing the mockery Of his words
In the light Of her own knowledge and
her own payt, which never escaped
her consciousness. one chamber OF
her mind was acting for him; sec.
and chamber was perfectly aware that
the other was acting,
"0ne position more-the Twin Boul.
der Redoubt it is called" he an
nounced at last we shall not press
hard in front, We shall drive in
masses on either side and storm the
/ TANKS"
This she was telsphoning to Lar
siren a few minutes later and having,
| in return. all the news OF the Browns.
The sheer fascination of knowing what
I both sides were doing exerted its spell
in keeping her to her part.
They've lost four hundred thousand
men now, Lanny." she said.
And we only a hundred thousand,
We're whiting them down. answered
Laustron.
Whiting them down! What a
CHASTITY expression," she gasped. "You
are as bad as Westerling and I am
worse than either of youl IL an
nounced the four hundred thousand as
II they were a seore-a score in a
game in our favor am helping,
Lanny? All my sacrifice isn't for
nothing?" she asked for the hun
dredth time.
UNNECESSARILY. You have saved us
many lives!" he replied
And cost them many?" she asked.
Yes. Marta, no doubt. he admitted:
but no more than they would have
lost in the end. 1t is only the mount.
ing up OF their casualties that can
end the war Thus the lesson must
be taught"
And can be OF most help when the
attack on the main defense is begun %
Yes"
And when westerling finds that my
information is false about Engadir-
| then"
She had never put the question to
Z