Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-09-15


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 smile of satisfaction he cor
rected her.
Not quite; e-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-
forcibly deny
He was proceeding with the phrase
ology habitual whenever men or wom-
| en-, to t1atter him, had intimated that
! they realized that he was the actual
head of the army. His Excellency,
with the prestige of career, must be
kept specifically enjoying the forms
of authority. To arouse his jealousy
| might curtail Westerlings actual
power.
Yes, yes!" breathed Marta softly,
arching her eyebrows a trifle as she
would when looking all around and
through thing or when she found
any one beating about the BUSH The
little frown disappeared and she
smiled understandingly. 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
Now it was so unusual in his expert
ence as to be almost shock On the
point of sarguing, he caught mis-
chievous, delightful Isn't that sou in
her eyes, and replied:
Eyes, shouldn't wonder if it 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.
ut wasn't SO very hard to say, was
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
Ganization. You did not care for the
non-essentials. You wanted the reality
of shaping results"
eyes, the results, the power!" he
exclaimed.
Fifteen hundred regiments" she
continued thoushtfully, looking at a
given point rather than at him. every
regiment a blade which you would
bring to an even sharpness! Every
regiment unit of harmonious whole,
knowing how to screen itself from fire
and give fire as long as hidden, in
answer to your will if war comes! That
is what you live and plan for, isn't it,"
Eyes, exactly! Yes, you have it,"
he said. His shoulders stiffened as he
thrilled at seeing picture Of him
self, as he wanted to see himself, done
in bold strokes. 1t assured him that
not only had his own mind grown be-
yond what were to him the narrow as
lot 81 l., ~
that hers had grown, too. And YOU
what have you been doing all these
years?" he asked
Living the life of woman on a
country estate" she replied. "Since
you made rule that no Cray officers
should cross the frontier we have been
little lonelier, having only the Brown
officers to tea. Did you really find it
so bad for discipline in your own
case?" she concluded with playful
solemnity.
Zone cannot consider Individual
And, remember, the Browns made the
ruling first. You see, every year
means a tightening-yes, tightening,
as arms and armies grow more compli-
Gated ard the maintaining of staff
secrets more important. And you have
been all the time at La Tir, truly?" he
asked changing the subject. He was
convinced that she had acquired some
thing that could not be gained on the
outskirts of provincial town.
mo. / have Travelled. have been
quite around the world"
"You have!" This explained much.
How l envy you! That is privilege
l shall not know until am superannu-
ated." While he should remain chief
of staff he must be literally prisoner
in his own country.
Eyes, should say it was splendid!
Splendid-yes indeed" Snappy little
mods of the head being unequal to ex-
pressing the JOY of the memories that
her exclamation evoked, she clasped
her hands over her knees and swung
back and forth in the ecstasy of seven
teen. "Splendid! l should say sol"
She nestled the curling tip of her
tongue against her teeth, as if the
recollection must also be tasted.