Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-16
ter breaking from the redoubt manned
by Fracasses men.

ter breaking from the redoubt manned
by Fracasses men.
Marta, you genius!" Lanstron cried.
You are the real general! YOU"
mot that. pleased" she broke in.
I'm as foul and depraved as q dealer
in subtle poisons in the middle ages!
oh, the shame Of it, while look into
his eyes and feign admiration, feign
everything which will draw out his
plans! I can never forget the sight
Of him as he told me how two or three
or four hundred thousand men were
to be crowded into ram, as he called
ia ram Of human flesh!-and guns
enough in support, he said. to tear any
redoubts to pieces; guns enough to
make their shells as thick as the bull.
let's from an automatic!"
We'll meet ram with ram! Well
have some guns, toow exclaimed Ian.
stron. We'll send as heavy shell
fire at their infantry as they send into
our redoubts."
Don't. It's too like westerling. II
has become too trite!" she protested.
"The end! II l really were helping
toward that and to save lives and our
country to its people. what would my
private feelings matter? My honor,
my soul-what would anything mat.
ter? For that, any sacrifice. I'm
only one human being-a weak. luna.
tic sort Of one, Just now!"
Marta, don't suffer so! You are
overweight. You"
II can say all that for you, Lanny,"
she interrupted with the faintest laugh
1--WE said it so many times to myself.
Perhaps when call you up again J
shall not be so historical"
Lanstron was not thinking of war OF
wars combination when he hung up
the receiver. 1t was some moments
before he returned to the star room,
and then he had mastered his emo
ton. He was the soldier again.
An hour or so before the attack the
telegraph instruments in the Galland
house had become pregnantly silent.
There were no more orders to give;
no more reports to come from the
troops in position until the assault was
made. Officers of supply ceased to
transmit routine matters over the wire.
while they strained their eyes toward
the range. Officers of the staff moved
about restlessly. glancing at their
watches and going to the windows fire.
Quently to see If the mist still held.
No one entered the library where
Westerling was seated alone with
nothing to do. His suspense was that
Of the mothers who longed for news
of their sons at the fsont: his helpless
ness that Of man in hospital lobby
waiting on the result of an operation
whose success or failure will save or
wreck his career. The physical desire
of movement. the conflict with some
thing in his own mind, drove him out
of doors.
Westerlmg was rather pleased with
the fact. that he could still smile;
pleased with the loyalty Of younger
officers when, day by day, the staff
had grown colder and more me
chanical in the attitude that COM
pleted his isolation. Walking vigor-
ously along the path toward the tower.
the exercise Of his muscles, the feel
Of the cool. moist air on his face,
brought back some of the buoyancy Of
spirit that he craved. A woman,s fig
ure, withfa cape thrown over the shout.
ders andfthe head bare. doomed out Of
the mist
Il couldn't stay in-not tonight, Z"
Marta said as Westerling drew near.
Il had to see. It's only quarter of
an hour now. isn't IT."
She seemed so utterly frail and
distraught that Westerling. in an i'm
pulse Of protection, laid his hand on
her relaxed shoulders.
Our cause is at stake tonight" he
declared, yours and mine! We must
win. you and 1! 1t is our destiny"
you and II" repeated Marta. why
you and IT.
1t seemed very strange to be think
ing of any two persons when hundreds
Of thousands were awaiting the signal
for the death prepared by him. He
mistook the.character Of her though.
in the obsession of his egoism.
''Whatd do lives mean?" he cried with
a sudden desperation, his grip of her
shoulders Tightening. ut is the law
of nature for man to fight. Unless he
fights he goes to seed. One trouble
with our army is that it was soft from
the want of war. II is the law of ma
ture for the fittest to survive! Other
sons will be born to take the place OF
those who die tonight. There will be
all the more room for those who live.
Victory will create new opportunities.
What is = million out Of the billions
on the face of the earth? Those who
lead alone count-those who dwell in
the atmosphere of the peaks. as we
do" The pressure of his strong hands
in the unconscious emphasis of his
passion became painful; but she did
not protest or try to draw away, think
ing Of his hold In no personal sense
but as part Of his self-revelatiQn. "All
ell y at stake there!" he continued.
staring toward the range. "It's the
Rubicon! have put my career on to-
nights cast! Victory means that the
world will be at our feet-honor. po-
sition, power greater than that Of any
other two human beings! Do you
realize what that means-the honor
and the power that will be ours?
shall have directed the greatest army
tho world has ever known to victory"
"And defeat means-what does de-
feat meant" she asked narrowly, calm
". and tfa nointad question released