Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-10-10

The demands OF nature oFer"Heliheu
her faculties. She slept with nervous
twitching of her muscles, restless
tossing of her 1.-THE body, until ham,
mers began beating on her temples,
beating, beating with the sound OF
shell bursts, as if to warn her that pun
ishment for her share in the killing
was to be the eternal conclusion OF
hattie in her ears. At length she real
lied that the cannonading was real.
Fastening out-of-doors, as her
glance swept toward the range she saw
bursts of shrapnel smoke from the
guns of the Browns nearer than since
the fighting had begun on the main
line. and these were directed at bodies
of infantry that were in confused re-
treat down the slopes, while all traffic
on the pass road was moving toward
the rear Impelled by new appre-
hension she hurried to the tunnel.
Lanstron answered her promptly in a
voice that had ring of relief and JOY
in place of the tension that had char
acterized it since the outbreak OF the
war.
"Thanks to you, Marta" he cried.
Everything goes back to you-thanks
to YOU came this chance to attack, and
we are succeeding at every point! You
are the general, you the maker of vic
tories!"
Eyes. the general of still more kill
ing!" she cried in indignation. why
have you gone on with the slaughter?
/ did not help you for this. Why?"
No reply came. She poured out
more questions, and still no reply. She
pressed the button and tried again. but
she might as we'll have been talking
over dead wire.
y
One man alone against the tide
rather the man who has seen tide
rise at his orders now finding all its
sweep against Misunderstanding, accus-
toned to have millions of men move
ct Ills command, found himself, ono
man out of the millions, still ard help
less while they moved of their own i'm
pulses.
As news of positions lost came in,
he could only grimly repeat, Hold!
Tell them to hold" fruitlessly. like adj
jurations to the wind to cease blowing.
The bell of the long distance kept
ringing unheeded, until at last his aide
came to say that the premier must
speak either to him or to the vice
chief. Westerling staggered to his
feet and with lurching steps went into
the closet. There he sank down on the
chair in a heap, staring at the tele.
phone mouthpiece. Again the bell rang
Clenching his hands in a rocking ef'
fort, he was able to stiffen his spine
once more as he took down the re-
ceiver To admit defeat to the pre-
mier-no, he was not ready for that
yet.
1.-THE truth Is out!" said the premier
without any break in his voice and
with the fatalism Of one who never
allows himself to blink fact. "Teleg
raphers at the front who got out OF
touch with the staff were still in touch
with the capital. Once the reports be-
gan to come, they poured in-decima'
ton of the attacking column. panic
and retreat in other portions OF the
line-chaos!"
"It's a lie!" Westerling declared
vehemently.
"The news has reached the press,
the premier proceeded. Editions are
a1roadv In tho street "
What! Where is your censorship
gasped Westerling.
1T is helpless, a straw protesting
against current" the premier re-
piled. "A censorship goes back to
physical force, as every law does In
the end-to the police and the army
and all, these days, finally to public
opinion. After weeks Of secrecy, of re-
ported successes, when nobody really
knew what was happening, this sudden
disillusioning announcement of the
truth has sent the public mad"
ut is your business to control the
public!" complained Westerling.
with what. now? With speech OF
a lullaby? AS well could you stop the
retreat with your naked hands. My
business to control the public, yes. but
not unless you win victories. / gave
you the soldiers. We have nothing but
police here, and tell you that the pub
lie is in mob rage-the whole public
bankers and business and professional
men included. have just ordered the
stock exchange and all banks closed"
There's a cure for mobs!" cried
Westerling. Let the police fire few
volleys and they'll behave"
would that stop the retreat Of the
army? We must sue for peace"
Sue for peace! Sue for peace when
we have five millions against their
three!"
ut seems so. as the three millions
are winning!" said the premier.
Sue for peace because women &c
hysterical? Do you suppose that the
Browns will listen now when they
think they have the advantage? Leave
peace to me! Give me forty-eight hours
more! have told our troops to hold
and they will hold. l don't mistake
| cowardly telegraphers' rumors fol
| facts"