The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-12-10

III We lose them we'll never get
them back. Better die than be bsaten!-
Herbert Stransky. with dsepset
syss, slightly squirting inward. and .
heavy jaw, an enormous man Who vas
the best shot in the company when
he cared to be. had listened in silence
to the others. his rather thick but ex-
Dressive lips curving with cynicism.
His only speech all the morning had
besn in the midst Of the reception in
the public square Of the town when he
said:
This homecoming doesn't mean
much to me Home! He'll! The
hsdserows of the world are my hOme!"
He appeared older than his years.
and hard and bitter. except when his
eyes would light with 4 feverish sort
OF Ore which shone a. he broke into
lull in the talk.
Comrades" he began.
LET US hear from the Socialist!" Q
Tory exclaimed
mo. the anarchist" shouted . o.
eialist
AOic ~Ou = - 1us NAI. OAbV
Stransky. his voice gradually rising to
the pitch of IN agitator relishing the
senoatiOn Of his own words. Patriot
ism is the played-out trick of the ruling
classes to keep down the proletariat.
There wont be any war! Why! Be-
cause there are too many enlightened
men on both sides who do the worlds
work. We OF the SD are q pro-
vincial lot, but throughout our army
there are thousands upon thousands
like me. They march. they drill. but
when battle comes they will refuse
to nght-my comrades in heart. to
whom the flag of this country means
no more than that OF any other coun-
try!"
Hold on The nag is sacred"
cried the bankers son.
Yes. that will do!''
Shut up!"
Other voices formed chorus OF
angry protest.
Il knew you thought it: now I've
caught you!" This from the sergeant.
who had seen hard fighting against
a savage foe IN Africa and there
fore was particularly bitter about
the Bodlapoo affair. The welt OF
scar on the gaunt. .feveryellowed
cheek turned a deeper red as he seized
Stransky by the collar OF the blouse.
Stransky raised his free hand as il
to strike. but paused as he faced the
cOmpany's boyish captain, slender OF
figure. aristocratic OF feature. His in
dignation was az evident as the ser
geante. but he was biting his lips to
keep it under control.
You heard what he said sir?"
The latter part-enough!"
Its incitation to mutiny. An ex-
ample
Yes, put him under arrest
The sergeant still held fast to the
collar. of Stransky's blouse Stransky
could have shaken himself free, a. =
mastih frees himself from a puppy,
but this was resistance 10 arrest and
he had not yet made up his mind to
go that far. His muscles we're weaving
under the sergeant's grip, his eyes
glowing a. with volcanic fire waiting
on the madness Of impulse for erup-
tioD.
Il wonder il it 10 really worth while
to put him under arrest?" said some
one at the edge Of the group In amiable
inquiry.
The voice came from an offcer Of
oh fhf,tC-Aro hn hol
strOlled over from nearby aeroplsne
station to look At the regiment From
his shoulder hung the gold cords Of
the stat. 1t was Col. Arthur Lanstron.
whose plane had SKINNED the Gal
lands garden wall for the easy
bump" ten years ago. There was some
thing more than mere titular respect
in the way the young captain. ssluted
admiration and the difiident, bOyish
glance of rec0gnitioE which does not
presume to take the lead in recalling
slight acquaintance with man of
distinction.
"Dellarme! Its all Of two years
since we met at Miss Galland's. isn't
it," I.anstron said, cha king hands with
the captain.
Yes, just before We were ordered
south" said Dellarme, obviously
pleased to be remembered
u overheard your speech" Lanstron
continued, nodding toward Stransky
1T was very informing"
A crowd Of soldiers was now press
ing around Stransky, and in the front
rank was Grandfather Fragini.
Said our flag was no better'n any
other flag. did he?" piped the old man.
Beat him to a pulp! That's what the
Hussars would have done"
III you don't mind telling i, in pub
lie. Stransky, should like to know
your origin" said Lanstron, prepared
to be as considerate of an anarchists S
private feelings as OF anybody's.
Stransky squinted his eyes down the
bony bridge of his nose and grinned
sardonically.
That won't take long" he answered
INV father go far AS l could identify