Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-10-29

| uBuro, uflbtocrhtic OF tchtuIo. tain III
dlgnation was as evident as the ser
Eeahts. but he was biting his lips to
keep II under control.
"You heard what he said, sir?"
THE latter part-enough!"
ITS mediation 10 mutinyl An ex'
ample!"
Yes. put him under arrest"
The sergeant stu held fast TO the
collar Of Stransky's blouse. Stransky
could have shaken himself free, as a
mastIif frees himself from puppy.
but this was resistance TO arrest and
he had not yet made up his mind TO
70 that far. His muscles we're weaving
under the sergeant's grip, his eyes
glowing as with volcanic fire waiting
en- the madnegs Of impulse for erup-
ton.
Il wonder II it Is really worth while
to put him uader arrest?" said soma
one at the edge ofthe group in amiable
inquiry,
The voice cane from an officer OF
about thirty-dye, who apparently had
strolled over from nearby aeroplane
station to look at the regiment. From
his shoulder hung the gold cords of
the staff. 1t was Col. Arthur Lanstron.
whose plane had skinned the Gal
lands garden wall for the easy
bump" ten years ago. There was some
thing More than mere titular respect
in the way the. young captain saluted
admiration and the difiident, boyish
glance of recognition which does not
presume to take the lead in recalling
a slight acquaintance with man OF
distinction.
"Dellarme! It's all Of two years
since we met at Miss Galland's, isn't
it," Lanstron said, shaking hands with
the captain.
Eyes, just before we were ordered
SOUTH" said Dellarme, obviously
pleased to be remembered.
II overheard your speech" Lanstron
continued, nodding toward Stransky.
ut was very informing"
A crowd Of soldiers was now press
ing around Stransky, and in the front
rank was Grandfather Fragini.
said our flag was no better'n any
other flag. did he?" piped the old man.
BEAT him to pulpl That's what the
Hussars would have DONE"
"If you don't mind telling 1t in pub
lie, Stransky, should like to know
your origin" said Lanstron, prepared
to be as considerate of an anarchists
private feelings as of anybodys.
Stransky squinted his eyes down the
bony bridge of his nose and grinned
sardonically.
"That won't take long" he answered.
"My father, so far as l could identify
him, died in Jail and my mother of
drink"
"That was hardly to the purple!" OBJ
served Lanstron thoughtfully.
mo, to the red!" answered Stransky
savagely.
II mean that it was hardly inclined
to make you take roseate view of life
as beautiful thing In well-ordered
world where favors Of fortune are
evenly distributed" continued Lam
istrot. ,o-e rs 81
ri, "Rather to make me rejoice in the
hope OF new order of things-the
recreation of society" Stransky ut
tered the sentiment with the trium-
plant pride of a pupil who knows his
textbook thoroughly.
BY this time the colonel command
ing the regiment, who had noticed the
excitement from distance, appeared,
forcing gap for his passage through
the crowd with, sharp words. He, too,
recognized Lanstron. After they had
shaken hands, the colonel scoWled as
he heard the situation explained, with
the old sergeant, still holding fast to
Stranskys collar, capable and in
sistent witness for the prosecution;
while Stransky, the fire in his eyes
dying to Goals, stared straight ahead.
ut is only suggestion, Of course.
said Lanstron, speaking quite as
spectator to avoid the least indication
of interference with the coloners au'
thority, but it seems possible that
Stransky has clothed his wrongs in
garb that could never set we'll on his
nature if he tried to wear it in prac-
tice. He is really an individualist. En-
ragged, he would fight well. / should
like nothing better than a force OF
Stranskys If I had to defend redoubt
in last stand"
eyes, he might fight" The colonel
looked hard at Stransky's rigid profile,
with its tight lips and chin as firm as
If cut out of stone. You never know
who will fight Ia the pinch. they say.
But that's speculation. It's the ex-
ample that. have to deal with"
'"He is not of the insidious, plotting
type. He spoke his mind openly" eug-
gested Lanstrons, "Heyou give him the
limit, of the law, why. he becomes
martyr to persecution. should say
that his remarks might pass for bar
rackroom gassing."