Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-10-28
THE LAST SHOT
By FREDERICK PALMER

built up a figure Of the type whose
character she had keenly resented q
few minutes before.
'But, Miss Galland, you seem to
know him far better than we. This is
not news to you," remarked the bri-
gade commander
"Yes. saw the accident of his first
flight when his hand was injured" she
said. and WINGED with horror. Never
had the picture Of him as he rose from
the wreck appeared so distinct. She
could see every detail of his looks;
feel his twinges of pain while he
smiled. Was the revelation the more
vivid because 1t had once occurred
to her since the war began? It shut
out the presence of the officers; she
no longer heard what they were say.
ing. Black fear was enveloping her.
Vaguely she understood that they
were looking away at something. She
heard the roar of artillery not far dis
tant and following their gaze toward
the knoll where Dellarme's men had
received their baptism Of fire, now un-
That's about their last stand in the
tangent, their last snarl on our SOIL"
remarked the brigade commander.
"And we're raining shells on it,"
said his aide. with our glasses we'll
be able to watch the infantry go in"
"Yes, very WELL"
Were all used to how 1t feels, now
we'll see how it looks at distance"
piped one of the soldiers.
Not until he had shouted to them
did they notice division stafr-oficer
who had come up from the road. He
had piece of astounding news to i'm
part before he mentioned official busi-
ness.
What do you think of this?" he
cried. Nothing could stop him! Ian
stron-yes, Lanstron has gone into
that charge with the African Braves!"
''Why?" Marta heard the officers
around her asking after their excla-
nations of amazement at the news
that Lanstron was going in the
charge. why should the chief of staff
lASh LIB lllc III luib lhbulOH
Marta knew. All her taunts about
sending others to death from his office
chair, uttered as the fugitive sarcasm
OF mood, required in the merciless
hammerbeat of recollection. For
moment she was aghast, speechless.
Then the officers, occupied with the
startling news, heard voice,
wrenched from a dry throat In an
guish, saying:
"The telephone! Try to reach him!
Tell him he must mott"
I'VE can hardly say must not 10
chief of staff," said the general auto
matically.
"Tell him I ask him not to! Try
to reach him-try-you can tryI"
"Yes. yesi Certainly" exclaimed
the general, turning to the telephone
| operator
He had seen now what the younger
men had seen at glance They were
recalling Lanstron's relief at seeing
her; how he had passed them by to
speak to her; the intensity of the two
In their almost wordless meeting.
Her bloodless lips, the imploring pas
sion In her eyes, her qulvering impa-
tience told the rest.
Division headquarters!" called the
operator. They're getting brigade
headquarters" he added while he
waited in silence. Brigade headquar-
tQra aava fha provao have M ,,,t.o Ttp,
too late. The charge is starting"
$50 1t Isl" cried one of the subal-
terms. Look! Look"
Marta looked toward the rising
ground this side of the knoll In time
to lee bayonets flash in the waning
afternoon sunlight and disappear as
they descended the slope.
There! They're up on the other
slope without stopping!" exclaimed
the general. Quick! Don't you want
70 see?" He offered his glasses to
Marta.
mo, can see well enough" she
murmured, though the landscape was
moving before her eyes in giddy
waves.
"The madness of It! The whole
7lope is peppered with the fallen!"
What cost! Magnificent, but not
war. Carrying their flag in the good
old way, right at the 'front.'"
"Heavensl I hope they do it,"
THE flags down."
Another man has tits up!"
''Now-pow-splendid! They're in!"
$50 they are! And the flag, tool"
"Yes, what's left are In"
"And Lanstron was therein that!"
what If"
"Yes, the chief of stafr, the head of
the army, in an affair like that!"
"The mind Of the army-the mind
that was to direct our advanced"
when all the honors of the world
are his!"
Their words we're acid-tipped nee.
dies knitting back and forth through
Marta's brain. Was Lanny one of
those black specks that peppered the
slope? Was he? Was he?
Telephone and-and see II Lanny
Isis killed." she begged.
I'll go-Ill go out there whe- he
Isl" she said incoherently, still look.
ing toward the knoll with glazed eyes
She thought ghe was walking fast aa