Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-10-15
CHAPTER !.
A spsok In the sky.

n Was Marta who first saw the speck
m the sky. Her outcry and her pouno
erom her seat at the teatable brought
har mother and Colonel Westerlins
after her onto the lawn, where they
hecame motionless figures. screening
eheir ewes with their hands. The new
at and most wonderful thing In the
world nj the time was this speck ape
Bearing above the irregular horizon OF
the Brown range, In view OF land
acape that centuries Of civilization had
Rartilixed and cultivated and formed.
At the base Of the range ran line
oe white stone posts. placed BY inter-
national commissions OF surveyors 70
the nicely Of an inchs variation. In
me very direction OF the speck's night
= apur of foothills extended into the
maain that stretched away to the Gray
range. distinct at the distance OF
ehirty miles in the bright afternoon
alwht. Faithful to their part In refus-
anR to climb, the white posts circled
around the spur, hugging the levels.
In the lap Of the spur was La TIL
she old town, and on the other size
q the boundary lay South La Tir, the
nav town. Through both ran the dusty
rahbon of q road, drawn straight across
me plain and over the glistenlng
thread OF q river. On its way to the
uass OF the Brown range 1t skirted the
.Wmrden of the Gallands, which rose IN
2arraces to q seventeenth.century
house overlooking the old town from its
Outskirts. They were such town. sucn
n road, such landscape as you may
sss ON many European frontiers. the
Christian people who lived In the re-
naon were like the Christian people
WA know II you look for the realities
N human nature under the surface oil
1srences Of language and habits.
Beyond the house rose the ruins OF q
castle. Ito tower still intact. Marta a.
ways referred to the castle az the
baron: for in her girlhood she had q
way Of personifying all inanimate
ahinRs. II the castle walls were Gov
cred with hoar frost, she said that the
aaron was shivering: II the wind tore
.nround the tower, she said that the
baron was groaning over the demo
cratic tendencies of the time. On such
a summer afternoon as this. the baron
Vas growing old gracefully. at peace
With his enemies.
Centuries older than the speck In
enc 0ky was the baron; but the pass
read was many more. countless more
centuries older than he. 1t had been
n trail for tribes long before Roman
legions won q victory in the pass
which was acclaimed an imperial tri
mrph. To hold the pass was to hole
the range. All the blood shed there
would make red river, inundating the
plain.
Beside the old baron, we are par
venus" Marta would say. And wha
y \ parvenu the baron would have beef
% the Roman aristocrat!"
sour family is old enough--non'
older In the province!" Mrs. Gallan'
would reply. Marta, how your min'
does wander! I'd get headache jus
contemplating the things YOU are abb
70 think Of in FIVE minutes"
The first Galland had built q hous
on the land that his king had give
MIN for one of the most brilliant feat
Of arms in the history Of the pass
\ Even the tower, raised to the glor
= ue an older family whose descendant
af any survived, we're unaware of thei
lineage, had become known as tn
Galland tower. The Gallands wer
rooted In the soil Of the frontier; the
were used to having wars hot breat
blow past their door; they were
home In the language and customs
two peoples; theirs was q peculiar tr
nition, which Marta had absorbed viii
Msr first breath. Town and plain an
xange were the first vista Of landscaI
ahat she had seen; doubtless the
Would be the last
One or two afternoons week OK
1mal Hedworth Westerling, command
e the regimental post Of the Grays
ma other side Of the white post
stretched his privilege Of crossing Il
Rrontier and appeared for tea at u
Gallands. 1t meant pleasant Ia
hDur breaking long walk. q reli
nom garrison surroundings, and
uAsW Of the order. received that moi
1ng, this was to be q farewell call
BE had found Mrs. Galland an agr'
nhio reflection Of an aristocratic, pa
The daughter had what he defn
vaguely e. girlish piquancy. He fou
e amusing to try to answer her
rsnal questions; he liked the varis
e her inventive mind. with its Hash
- downright matter-of- factneas.