The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-12-04

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1--WE tried. 1t doesn't work. The
murmurs increase. l repeat, my fears,
of a rising of the women are we'll
grounded. There is mutiny in the air
feel it through the columns of the
press, though they are censored. T."
Then, soon I'll give the public some
thing to think about, myself" Wester1
ling broke in. "The dead will be for4
gotten. The wounded will be proud
of their wounds and their fathers and
mothers triumphant when our army
descends the other side of the range
and starts on its march to the Browns
capital"
But you have not yet taken a
single fortress!" persisted the premier.
And the Browns report that they have
lost only three hundred thousand
men,"
"Lanstron is lying!" retorted Wes-
terling holly. But no matter. We
have taken positions with every att
tack and kept crowding in closer.
ask nothing better than that the
Browns remain on the defensive, leav-
ing initiative to us. We have devel-
oped their weak points. The resolute
offensive always wins. l know where
l am going to attack; they do not
shall not give them time to reinforce,
the defense at our chosen point. l
have still plenty Of live soldiers left.
l shall go in with men enough this
time to win and to hold"
The army is yours, Westerling,"
concluded the premier. Il admire your
stolidity Of purpose. You have my con-
fidence. l shall wait and hold the stu
alton at home the best can. We go
into the hall Of fame or into the gut
ter together, you and II"
For while after he had hung up
the receiver Westerling's head
dropped, his muscles relaxed, giving
mind and body release from tension.
But his spine was as stiff as ever as
he left the closet, and he was even
smiling to give the impression that
the news from the capital was favor
able.
When he called his chiefs of divi-
sion it was hardly for a staff council.
Stunned by the losses and repulses,
loyalty industrious, their opinions I'M
asked, they listened to his whirlwind
OF orders without coument-all except
Turcas.
"If they are apprised Of our plan and
are able to concentrate more artillery
than our guns can silence, the losses
will be demoralizing," he observed.
Westerling threw up his head, frown-
ing down the objection.
Suppose they amount to half the
forces that we send in!" he exclaimed.
Isn't the position, which means the
pass and the range, worth it?"
Yes, If we both take and hold it;
not if we fall" replied Turcas, quite
unaffected by Westerling's manner.
Failure is not in my lexicon!" Wes-
terling shot back. For great gains
there must be great risks"
I'VE prepare for the movement,
your excellency," answered Turcas.
1t was a steel harness of his own
will that Westerling wore, without ad-
hitting that 1t CALLED him, and he laid
it off only in Martas presence. With
her, his growing sense of isolation had
the relief of companionship. She be-
came a kind of mirror of his egoism
and ambitions. He liked to have her
think of him as a great man unruf1ed
among weaker men. In the quiet and
seclusion of the garden, involuntarily
as one who has no confidant speaks
to himself, reserving fortitude for mis-
part before the staff, while she, under
the spell Of her purpose, silently, with
serene and wistfully listening eyes,
played hers, he outlined how the final
and telling blow was to be struck.
I'VE must and we shall win!" he
kept repeating.
Through a rubber disk held to his
ear in the closet of his bedroom a
voice, tremulous with nervous fatigue,
was giving Lanstron news that all his
aircraft and cavalry and spies could
MT hoya Uaipads NuOrtI,