Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1914-11-19


with interest what was going on.
French Officers Are Busy.
Maybe there we're q dozen French
officers there" said he, "all smoking
cigarettes and talking. never did
hear so much talk. They all talked
at once. But 1t looked as though they
were getting things done, at that. Sol
diers would come in and report to the
colonel and talk to all the other off,
GERS. And all the other officers would
talk to them. BY and by they got
their orders and went out. / don't
know anything about soldering. but !
could see that that little old cottage
was being run right"
Martin had cigars. So he and the
lieutenant sat In a corner and smoked
them. The lieutenant said he wasn't
anxious to bring Martin to the atten-
ton of the colonel until the cigars
were gone. No one paid any atten-
ton to them. There was no sugges-
ton Of anything serious in the air.
"All at once this ex-waiter from
Martins came in" said Martin. "A
soldier had him by each elbow. He
saluted the colonel. He had never
told me that he had been a soldier"
Martin planned to hail him when
he got the chance. But an instinct
of caution restrained him. Evidently
this ex-waiter was Tin bad" The off,
GERS were regarding him silently. BY
and by they began to talk again. First
the soldiers who held the ex-waiter
told a story and passed a packet Of
papers over to the colonel.
Colonel Asks Questions.
THE colonel asked him some Ques.
tions," said Martin, land then other
officers talked to him. They all
seemed friendly enough. No one made
any fuss. He answered some ques-
lions and some he didn't. BY and by
he asked for a cigarette and the lieu
tenant who had me handed him one.
They bowed and smiled to each
other"
The other officers talked to each
other Evidently they were not talk
ing about the ex-waiter. The colonel
sat pulling at his thumb-size goatee.
Martins lieutenant took another OF
cigars and complimented
him on them. The eX-waiter looked
around the room for the first time.
Martin caught his eye and grinned.
The ex-waiter looked him in the eye
and turned away.
WELL" said Martin to himself,
that's dickens of a note"
The colonel took another cigarette
from his dwindling case. The officers
sat with their elbows on their knees
and looked silently at the ex-waiter.
rhe colonel said something. The two
soldiers saluted and turned on their
leels. The ex-waiter whipped his
land stifiy to his forehead, stood at
attention, and turned on his heel. The
,fficers relaxed somewhat and again
,egan talking. As the ex-waiter went
tut he smiled in Martins direction
lot to him-a queer. wistful sort OF
mile.
1T sort OF got me going for a min
Ite," said Martin.
Through the open doors Of the cot
age they heard the staccato CON-
hands Of a drill sergeant. A squad
HURLED quickly by. They heard the
licking Of gunlocks. Martin turned I
D his lieutenant:
Listen" said the lieutenant, hold
lg up one hand.
The colonel and the other officers
'ere sitting quietly, in attitudes Of
ttention. There was the report Of {
iusketry. The sound Of talk within Q
be room rose again. The colonel be- I
an to paw over his innumerable re-
orts. The lieutenant spoke to him. {
nd came back to Martin with the
ord that he must leave the country ,
once. The lieutenant said It was
angerous for him. The peasants
light not understand him. Martin
lid he would.
But, say" said he to his friend
Ie lieutenant, what was this shoot. =
q Just now?" =
did you not comprehend" asked :,
e lieutenant "Tt was n sDy."