Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-10

in distress:
But your hand-oh, your hand!"
His left hand hung limp from the
wrist, cut, mashed and bleeding. Its
nerves numbed, he had not as yet felt
any pain from the injury. Now he re-
garded it in kind of awakening stare
of realization OF deformity to come.
"Wool-gathering again!" he nut
tered to himself GROSSLY.
Then, seeing that she had turned
white, he thrust the disgusting thing
behind his back and twinged with the
movement. The pain was arriving.
1T must be bandagedI | have a
handkerchief! she begged. I'm not
going to faint or anything like that!"
Only bruised-and it's the left.
am glad it was not the right" he re-
piled. Westerling arrived and joined
Marta in offers of assistance just as
they heard the prolonged honk OF an
automobile demanding the right of
way at top speed in the direction of
the pass.
Thank you, but they're coming for
me-" said Lanstron to Westerling as
he glanced up the road
Westerling was looking at the wreck
Lanstron, who recognized him as an
officer, though in multi, kicked a bit of
the torn cloth over some apparatus to
hide it. At this WesterIing smiled
family. Then Lanstron saluted as Of
fcer to officer might salute across the
white posts, giving his name and re-
ceiVing in return Westerlings.
They made a contrast, these two
men, the colonel Of the Grays. swart
and sturdy, his physical vitality SO evil
dent, and the captain of the Browns,
some seven or eight years the junior,
bareheaded, in dishevelled fatigue
uniform, his lips twitching, his slender
body quivering with the pain that he
could not control, while his rather
bold forehead and delicate, sensitive
features suggested a man of nerve and
nerves who might have left expert
ments in laboratory for an adventure
in the air. There was a kind of chal-
lenge in their chances; the challenge
Of the professional rivalry of polite
duellists. Lanstron's slight figure
seemed to express the weaker number
of the three million soldiers of the
Browns; Westerling's bulkier one, the
four million five hundred thousand of
the Grays.
You had narrow squeak and you
made very snappy recovery at the
last second" said Westerling, passing
a compliment across the white posts.
That's in the line of duty for you
and me, isn't it?" Lanstron replied,
mis- voice thick with pain as he forced
i smile.
There was no pose in his fortitude
He was evidently disguised with him
self over the whole business, and he
turned to the group of three officers
and civilian who alighted from big
Brown army automobile as If he were
prepared to have them say their worst.
They seemed between the impulse of
eprimanding and embracing him.
i hope that you are not surprised at
he result" said the oldest of the Of
ficers, a man of late middle age, rather
affectionately and teasingly. He wore
a single order on his breast, a plain
iron cross, and the insignia of his rank
was that of a field-marshal
Not now. | should be again, sir"
said Lanstron, looking full at the field
marshal in the appeal of one asking
for another chance. Il was wool-gath-
ering. But l shall not wooI-gather next
time. I've got a reminder more urgent
than a string tied around my finger"
Yes, that hand needs immediate at
tention," said the doctor. He and an
other officer began helping Lanstron
into the automobile.
"Good-by!" he called to the young
girl, who was still watching him with
big, sympathetic eyes. q am coming
back soon and land in the field, there,
and when l do, III claim a bunch of
flowers"
DO! What fun" she cried, as the
car started.
The field-marshal was Partow, Their
chief of staff" Westerling asked.
Sos Scalu MI .. SclA1clAO L ASI1S1Il-
Der when he was a young infantry Off
Ger before the last war, before he had
won the iron cross and become so
great He was not Of an army family
"a doctors son, but very clever and
skilful'
Getting little old for his work."
remarked Westerling. But apparent
ly he is keen enough to take a per-
sonal interest in anything new"
Wasn't It thrilling and-and ter
rible!" Marta exclaimed.
Yes, Ike war at our own door
again." replied Mrs. Galland, who knew
war. She had seen war raging on the
pass road. '.Lanstron, the young man
said his name was" she resumed after
| a pause. mo doubt the Lanstrons of
| Thorbourg. An old family and many
of them in the army"
The way he refused to give in-that
was fine!" said Marta.
Westerling, who had been engrossed
in his own thoughts, looked up.
Courage /: the cheapest thing an
army has, You can get hundreds of
young officers who are glad to take a
risk of that kind. The thing is" and
his fingers pressed in on the palm of
his hand in a pounding gesture of the
| forearm, Ito direct and command
| head work-organization
] IF war should come again" Marta
! began. Mrs. Galland nudged her. A
Brown never mentioned wer to an off
Ger of the GTays; it was not al all in
the accepted proprieties. But Marta
rushed on: SO many would be en-
gagged that it would be more horrible
than ever"
You cannot make omelets without
breaking. eggs" Westerling answered
with suaye finality.
I The aeroplane will take its place as
an auxiliary" he went on. his mind
still running on the theme of her
prophecy, which the meeting with Ian