Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-09

"Yes!" he exclaimed. his body STIR
fleming free Of the back Of the seat.
You realized what was In me- You
foresaw the power which was to be
mine. The fate that Arst brought 10
together made me look you up In the
capital. Now It brings US together
here on this bench after all that has
passed in the last twenty-four hours"
She realized that he had drawn per
ceptibly nearer. She wanted to rise
and cry out: Don't do this! Be the
chief Of staff. the conaueror. crushing
the earth with the tread Of Ave against
three!" It was the conQueror whom
she wanted to trick. not man whose
earnestness was painting her deceit
blacker. Far from rising. she made no
movement at all: only looked at her
hands and allowed him to &c On, con.
scious Of the force Of personality
that mastered men and armies now
warm and appealing In the full tide Of
another purpose.
J. ''The victory that was thinking Of
last night was not the taking of Bor-
dir. 1t was finer than any victory in
war. It was seltish-not for army
and country. but born Of 3 human
weakness triumphant; human weak
ness Of which my career had robbed
me-" he continued. "It gave me q
JOY that even the occupation Of the
Browns capital could not give. had
come as an invader and had won
your confidence"
I'm a cause!" she interrupted hur-
riedly. wildly, to stop him from going
further, only to find that her intona-
ton was such that it wGs drawing him
on.
''That fatality seemed to be working
itself out to the soldier so much older
than yourself in renewed youth. in
another form OF ambition. ! hoped
that there was more than the cause
that led you to trust me. hoped"
Was he testing her? Was ne play
ing part Of his own to make certain
that she was not playing one? She
looked up swiftly for answer. There
was no gainsaying what she saw in
his eyes. It was beating into hers
with thegpower Of an Overwhelming
masculine passion and a maturity Of
intellect as his egoism admitted COM
rade to its throne. Such is ever the
way of man in the forties when the
clock strikes for him. But who could
know better the craft OF courtship
than oneeof Westerling's experience?
He was fighting for victory; to crafty
q desire.
II did not expect this-I-" the
words escaped unanimously and chok-
ingly.
He was bending so close to her that
she felt his breath on her cheek burn
ing hot, and she was sickeningly con-
scious that he was looking her over
in that point-by.point manner which
she had felt across the tea.table at
the hotel. This horrible thing in his
glance she had sometimes seen in
strangers on her travels. and It had
made her, think that she was wise to
carry little revolver. She wanted
to strike him.
Confess! Contest" called all her
own self-respect. Make an end to
your abasement!"
Confession, after the Browns have
given up Bordir! Confession that
makes Lanny. not Westerling. your
dupe!" came the reply, which might
have been telegraphed into her mind
from the high, white forehead Of Par
4 20
sion. betraying the cause Of the right
against the wrong; the three to the
conquering FIVE! No! You are in
the thing. You may not retreat now"
For a few seconds only the duel
Of argument Numbered in her temples
seconds in which her lips were part
ed and quivering and her eyes dilated
with an agitation which the man at
her side could interpret as he pleased.
A prompting devil-a devil reused by
that thing in his eyes-urging a
Anesse in double-dealing which only
devils understand, made her lips hyp-
notically turn in smile. her eyes
soften, and sent her hand out to Yves.
teriing in, q trancelike gesture. For an
instant It rested on his arm with tell.
ing pressure. though she felt it burn
with shame at the point of contact.
1--WE must not think Of that now"
she said. we must think of nothing
PERSONAL. OF nothing but your work
until your work ID done!"
Tho prompting devil had not permit.
ted . false note IN her voice. Her
very pal.or, in flxity Of icea. served
her purpose. Westerling drew deep
breath that seemed to expand his
whole being with greater appreciation
Of her. Yet that harried hunger. the
hunger Of q beast, was still in his
glance.
"This is like you-like what want
you to bel" he said. You are right"
He caught her hand. inclosing 1t en-
tirely in his grip. and she was sen
sible. in kind Of dazed horror. of the
thrill Of his strength. Nothing can,
stop ue! Numbers will win! Hard
lighting in the mercy Of quick end!"
he declared with his old rigidity of
five against three which was welcome
70 her. Then" he added = and
then"
I. "Then!s she repeated. averting her
glance. tThen-" There the devil
ended the sentence and she withdrew
,her hand and felt the relief of one es-
ranin~ ~, APoco fion fo and <hot ho had