Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-12
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Change Of plan.

iOen. HIS only exercise was . few
periods Of pacing,0n the versnda. Tur-
cas-, as tireless6 industrious a. ever.
developed an Increasingly quiet insist
,ence to leave the responsibility Of de-
'cisions about everything Of importance
to chief who was becoming incrsas.
ingly arbitrary. The attack on Enga-
dir being tho jewel of Westerling's
own planning, he was disinclined to
risk success BY dslegatng authority.
which also meant sharing the glory OF
victory.
Bouchard's note, though officially dis
missed a. matter of pathology. would
not accept dismissal privately. In
flashes Of distinctness It required to
him between reports Of the progress
OF preparations and directions az to
dispositions. At dusk of the second
day, when all the guns and troops had
their places for the final movement I'M
der cover of darkness and he rose
from his desk, the thing that had
edged it's way into a crowded mind
took possession Of the premises that
strategy and tactics had vacated It
passed under the same analysis a. his
work. His overweening pride, 80 SEN
siuve to the suspicion of a conviction
that he had been fooled, put his rela-
itions with Marta In logical review. He
had fallen in love in the midst of war.
"A cool and intense Impotence pos
sessed him to study her in the light
of his new skepticisnA when, turning
the path Of the first terrace. he saw
her watching the sunset over the crest
of the range.
She was standing quite still. slim.
soft shadow between him and the light,
which gtlded her figure and quarter
profile. Did she expect him? he won
dered. Was she posing at that In
slant for his benefit? When she
turned, her face in the shadow, the
glow Of tho sunset seemed to remain
in her eyes. otherwise without express
sion. yet able - detect something un-
usual under externals as they ex-
changed commonplaces Of greeting.
/ well. there's change In our OH
cial family. We have lost Bouchard-
transferred to another post" said
Westerling.
-iarta noted that. though he gave
the news q casual turn, his scrutiny
sharpened.
: "Is that sof ! can't say that my
mother and shall be sorry" she re-
marked. He was always glarins at
us as IL he wished US out Of sight.
Indeed, II he had his way, think he
would have made US prisoners Of war.
Wasn't he woman-hater" she con-
cluded, half in irritation, half in
amusement.
HE had that reputation" said Yves.
terling. What do you think led to
his departure?" he continued.
81 confess cannot guess!" said
Marta. with a look at the sunset glow
as II she resented the loss of a min
ute Of It.
There has been leak Of informa.
ton to the Browns!" he announced.
There has! And he was intelli-
gence officer. wasn't he?" she asked,
turning to Westerling, her curiosity
apparently aroused as matter Of cour.
tesy to his own interest In the sub.
ject.
who do you think he accusedf
Why, you." he added. with . peculiar
laugh.
She noted tho popularity Of the
laugh Discriminatory.
obi Her eyes opened wide In
wonder-only wonder, at first. Then.
as comprehension took tho place of
wonder. they grew sympathetic. THAT
explains!" she exclaimed. His hate
full glances were those Of delusion. He
was going mad. you msan!'
(, eyes," said Westerling. "that-that
would explain it,"
! 81 have been told that when people
70 mad they always ascribe every in.
Jury done to them to the person who
happens to have excited their dislike"
she unused.
(Which seems to have been the case
here" WesterlinS assented. He did
not know what else to say. His pride
was recovering lts natural confidence
In the infallibility Of his judgment Of
human beings. He was seeing his sus-
ipicions as ridiculous enough to con-
ivict him of brain 40 disordsred -
,Bouchard's.
Marta was thinking that she had
been skating on very thin Ice ana
that she must 60 ON skating till she
broke through. There was m exhila-
ration about 1t that she could not re-
''sist: the exhilaration OF risk and the
control of her faculties, prompted by
Il purpose hypnotically compelling.
Both were silent, she watching the
sky, he in anticipation and suspense.
The rose went violet and the shadows
over the range deepened.
1.-THE guns and the troops wait.
with darkness the music begins!" he
said slowly, with start Of stern
4ervor
"The music-the music! He calls
1t music!" ran through Marta's mind
mockingly, but she did not open her
dips.
Il "They wait, ready. every detail ar.
ranged" he continued proudly.
4 The sky merged into the shadows Of
the landscape that spread and thick.
ensd into blaekness. Out OF the drawn
curtains of night broke an ugly nash
md farther M the slopa spread the
III iN Y " ~ = M