Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-10-07
By
FREDERICK PALMER
loopyHgbt. 1914. by Charles scri0ners sons

D0n1n0 Ln0 re0OuDl. we Toldhc Ino du-
vance redoubts in counter-attack and
- PaEtow brought his fist into his
palm with q smack.
~Yes, IL we could do thati II we
could get them to expend their attack
there!" put in Lanstron very excitedly
for him.
I'VE musti She shall helpl" Par
tow was on his feet. He had reached
across, the table and seized Lanstron's
shoulders IN a powerful IL fiesh-pad-
ded grip. Then he turned Lanstron
around toward the door OF his bed
room and gave him a mighty slap Of
affection. MY boy, the brightest hope
of victory we have is holding the wire
for you. Tell her that bearded old
behemoth, who can kneel as gracefully
as a rheumatic rhtnoceros, is on both
knees at her feet, kissing her hands
and trying his best. in the name of
mercy, to keep from breaking into
verse of his own composition
Back at the telephone. Lanstron, in
the fervor of the cheer and the enthu-
siasm that had transported his chief.
gave Marta Partow's message.
"You, Marta, are our brightest hope
of victory!"
"Yes2" the monosyliable was de-
tached, dismal, labored. "a woman
can be that!" she exclaimed in an un-
certain tone, which grew into the dis
traction Of clipped words and broken
sentences. "a woman play-acting-e
woman acting the most revolving hy-
pocrisy-infiueuces the issue between
two nations! Her deceit deals In the
lives of sons precious to fathers and
mothers. the fate Of frontiers, of insti-
tutions! Think of It! Think of ma.
chimes costing countless millions-ma-
chimes of flesh and blood, with their
destinies shaped by one little bit of
! lying information! Think of the folly
of any civilization that stakes it's tri
umphs on such a gamble! Am ! not
right2 Isn't 1t true? Isn't itf"
"Yes, yes, Marta! But-T-S If
she were weakening it was not his
| place to try to strengthen her purpose.
'It will the sooner end fighting,
won't it, Lanny?" she asked in a
small, tense voice.
"Yes."
"And the only real end that means
real peace is to prove that the weak
can hold back the strong frgm their
threshold?"
"Yes."
Even now Westerling might be on
the veranda, perhaps waiting for news
that would enable him to crush the
weak; to prove that the law of five
pounds of human flesh against three.
and five bayonets against three, is the
law of civilization.
"Yes, yes. yes!" The construction
was gone from her throat; there was
drum-beat In her soul. Depend on
me, LannyI" 1t was Feller's favorite
phrase spoken by the one who was to
take his place. Eyes, I'm ready to
make any sacrifice now. For what am
II What is one woman compared to
such a purpose? l don't care what is
said of me or what becomes of me If
we can win! Good-by, Lanny, till
call you up again! And God with us!"
God with us!" as Partow had said,
over and over. The saying had come
to be repeated by hard-headed, agnos.
tic staff-officers, who believed that the
deity had no relation to the efficiency
of gun-hre. The Brown infantrymen
even were beginning to mutter it In
the midst of action.
Waiting on the path of the second
terrace for Westerling to come, Marta
realized the full meaning of her task
Day in and day out she was to have
suspense at her elbow and the horror
| of hypocrisy on her conscience, the
while keeping her wits nicely bal
anced. When she saw Westerling ap-
pear on the veranda and start over the
lawn she felt dizzy and uncertain of
her capabilities.
II have considered all that you have
said for my guidance and have de.
cided." she began.
She heard her own voice with the
relief of a singer in debut who, with
knees shaking, finds that her notes
are true. She was looking directly
at Westerling In profound seriousness.
Though knees shook, lips and chin
could aid eyes in revealing the pain.
full fatigue of a battle that had ragged
in the mind Of q woman who went
away for half an hour to think for
herself.
81 have concluded" she went on.
'"that it is an occasion for the sac.
rifice of private ethics to a great Dur.
pose, the sooner to end the slaugh.
| ter"
~All truei" whispered an inner
voice. It's tone was Lanny's, in the
old days of their comradeship. It gave
her strength. All true!
'Yes, an end-a speedy endl" said
Westerling with fine. inflexible en-.
phasis. THAT is your prayer and
mine and the prayer of all lovers OF
HUMANITY"
ITO BE Continued1