Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-11-26
CHAPTER HI-continued.

"You think I am joking?" she asked.
: why, yes!"
But l am not! No, no, not about
such a CHASTITY subject as a war to-
Iday!" She was leaning toward him,
hands on knee and eyes burning like
Goals without a spark. "I"-she paused
as she had before she broke out with
the first p~rophecy-"I will quote part
of our children's oath: 4 will not be
a coward. It is a coward who strikes
first. A brave man even after he re-
ceives a blow tries to reason with his
assailant, and does not strike back un-
til he receives a second blow. l shall
not let a burglar drive mt from my
house. If an enemy tries to take my
land l shall appeal to his sense of JUS
tice and. reason with him, but II he
then persists / shall fight for my
home. If l am victorious l shall not
try to take his land but to make the
most Of my own. / shall never cross a
frontier to kill my fellowmen.'"
Very impressive she made the oath.
Her deliberate recital Of it had the
quality which justifes every word
with an urgent faith.
you see, with that teaching there
can be no war;" she proceeded. "and
those who strike will be weak; those
who defend will be strong"
Perhaps" he said.
You would not like to see thou.
sands, hundreds of thousands, of men
killed and MANNED, would your" she
demanded. and her eyes held the hor-
ror of the sight In reality. you al
prevent it-you cant" Her heart was
in the appeal.
THE old argument! No. 1 should
not like to see that" he replied. Il
only do my duty as a soldier to my
country"
THE old answer! The more reason
why you should tell the premier you
can't! But there is still another reason
for telling him." she urged gently.
Now he saw her not at twentyseven
but at seventeen, girlish. the subject
of no processes of reason but In the
bpth vi I'LL iutultiOu, anu hC hhO" thdt
something out Of the blue in a fash
was coming.
For you will not win!" she declared.
This struck fire. Square Jaw and
sturdy body. in masculine energy, reso-
lutte and trained, were set indomitably
against feminine vitality.
Eyes, we shall win! We shall win!"
he said without even the physical DEM
onstration Of a gesture and in a hard.
even voice which was like that Of the
machinery of modern war itself, a
voice which the aristocratic snin, the
Louis XVI curls, or ans of the old gal
lery.display heroes would have thought
utterly lacking In histrionics suitable
to the OCCASION He remained rigid
after he had spoken. handsome, self
possessed
There was no use Of beating femi-
nine fists against such a stone wall.
The force OF the male was supreme.
She smiled with a strange, %quivering
loosening of the lips She spread out
her hands with fingers apart as II to
let something run free from them into
the air, and the fame of appeal that
had been in her eyes broke into many
lights that seemed to scatter into
space, yet ready to return at her com
. mand. She glanced at the clock and
rose, almost abruptly.
Il was very strenuous riding my
hobby against yours, wasn't II" she ex-
claimed In a flutter Of distraction that
made It easy for him to descend from
his own steed. Il stated a feeling. l
made a guess, q threat about your
winning-and all in the air. That's a
woman's privilege; n men grant,
isn't it,"
1--WE enjoy doing So" he replied. all
urbanity.
THANK you!" she said simply. Il
must be at home in time for the chill
dren's lesson on Sunday. My sleeper
is engaged, and II I am not to miss the
train I must go Immediately"
with an undeniable shock Of regret
he realized that the interview was
over. Really, he had had a very good
time; not only that, but
"Will 1t be ten years before we meet
rgninf" he asked
Perhaps. unless you change the
rules about officers crossing the from
tier to take tea" she replied.
Even II l did. the vice-chief Of stan
might hardly CO." =.
Then perhaps you must wait" she
warned him, until the teachers of
peace have done away with all from
tiers"
-Or, II there were war, ] should
come!. he answered in kind. He half
wished that this might start another
argument and she would miss her
train. But she made no reply. And
you may come to the Gray capital
again. You are not through traveling!"
he added
This aroused her afresh; the flame
wa back n her eyes.
Yes I have all the memories OF my
journeys to enjoy. all their lessons to
study" she said. There Is the big
world, and you want to have had the
breath OF all It's climates in your lungs,
the visions Of all It's peoples yours
Then the other thing is three acres
and a COW. II you could only have the
solidarity Of the Japanese, their pub
lie spirit, with the old Chinese love Of
family and peace, and a cathedral
nearby on q hill Patriotismi Why,