Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-10-15
CHAPTER II.
Ten Year, Later.

His Excellency the chief Of stan OF
the Grays was seldom in his office. HIS
Excellency had years, rank, prestige.
The breast of his uniform sagged with
the weight of his decorations. He ap-
peared for the army at great rune
tons: his picture was in the shop
windows. Hedworth Westerling, the
new vice-chief of stan, was content
with this arrangement. His years
would not permit him the supreme
honor. This was for figurehead, wnue
he had the power.
His appointment to the stan ten
years ago had given him the HELD ne
wanted, the capital itself, for the play
of his abilities. His vital energy, his
impressive personality. his gift for
counting the influences that counted
whether mans or woman's, his astute
readiness in STOPPING to some meas
ures that were In keeping with tine
times but not with army precedent
had won for him the goal Of his ambi'
ton. He had passed over the heads OF
older men, whom many thought MS
betters. rather ruthlessly. Those who
would serve Loyalty he drew around
aim: those who were bitter he crowd
ed out of his way.
In the adjoining room, occupied by
Westerling, the walls were hung with
the silhouettes of infantrymen, sucn
as Won see at maneuvers, in different
positions of firing, crouching in shall
low trenches, standing in deep
trenches, or lying fat on the stomach
on level earth. Another silhouette,
that of an infantryman running, was
peppered with white points in arms
and legs and parts Of the body that
were not vital, to show in how many
places a man may be hit with small
caliber bullet and still survive.
In this day of universal European
conception, If Westerling were to win
in war it would be with five millions
Eve hundred thousand more than when
he faced a young Brown ofncer over
the wreck of an aerop!ane-ineludine
the reserves; each man running, nrlng
crouching, as was the figure on the
wall. and trying to give more OF the
white points that peppered the sii
houette than he received.
Now Turcas, the assistant vtce-chiei
| Of staff. and Bouchard, chief Of the d
Vision of intelligence, standing OF
either side of Westerling's deck. await
ed his decisions on certain matters
which they had brought to his atten
ton. Both were older than WesteE
ling, Turcas by ten and Bouchard D.
fifteen years. :.
Turcas had been strongly urged II
inner army circles for the place ina
! WesterIing had won, but his name
and his ability to court influence wer
against him. A lath Of man and still
as a lath. pale, with thin. tightly-draWl
4 lips. quiet, steel-gray eyes. q tracery Q
blue veins showing on his full temples
he suggested the ascetic no less tina
the soldier, while his incisivc breyit
Of speech, favored now and then VII
punRent humor, without any innectio
IN his dry voice, was in keeping wit
his appearance. He arrived with tn
clerks In the morning and frequentl
remained after they we're gone. Az
master Of detail Westerling regarde
him as an invaluable assistant, wit
certain limitations, which were thos
Of the pigeonhole and the treadmih
Az for BOuchard, nature had meal
him to be wheel-horse. He had nev'
had any hope Of being chief Of stai