Tombstone epitaph., 1915-03-28

on the road. Then, with an accelera- ton of reckless determination, he
 jerked the belt itself from his body
 and hurled 1t away from him, the
 bayonet in its sheath falling with a
 chatter far from the discarded gun.
 There followed buttons, and num-
 bers, and all else that was detachable
 from his once complete and proper
 uniform
 This" he cried, "is my answer"
 He raised himself erect, folded his
 arms, and looked with mingled def
 ance and appeal at the amazed and si-
 lent men.
 ':This is my answer 10 the murder
 ers-my answer to the emperors, Sings. presidents. politicians, capital ists, bankers, makers of guns and pow der-all the money-sodden and power crazed schemers who have brought
 twenty millions of slaves together to
 shoot each other down."
 Stop" flung out voice from the
 group of men before him.
 Duprez paused and looked anxious
 ly but fearlessly toward the speaker.
 Well, Martineau?" he demanded sharply.
 This Is treason," replied the man resolutely. He was the largest among
 them-a very presentable figure of a soldier in his new uniform-and his
 honest face had perhaps a little less
 of the introspective expression that characterized the pale countenances
 of his compaions.
 Treason? Treason to whom? Treason to what?" demanded Duprez,
 advancing step and treading his Lebel under his feet.
 Treason to your country, Trea-
 son to France!" retorted Martineau. Among the others there was now apparent a division of feeling. a con | fiict of emotions aroused by the fiery
 and appealing words of Duprez and
 the sharp and antiseptic reminder of Martineau.
 Duprez saw instantly that he had | perhaps half of his men already won,
 prepared as they had doubtless been
 by their reading, and that he had a l fair chance to convince the others.
 Treason" he cried scornfully.
 Treason to France, already betrayed by parliamentary cliaues. Treason to
 a country already pIundered by grasp | ing politicians, Treason to the Patrie
 already tottering to the grave dug for her by her own men-so-calIed men af h.x ships with rotten powder Don't you 1 know why the Liberte blew up?-men who fill their pockets with millions appropriated to buy a worn-out and bankrupt railroad-men who trade in the nations property and the nations lives-men who fatten on the corpses of the poor-men who reek with" 'No!- shouted Martineau. "Trea- son to the country of Deroulede and Poincare; treason to the nation at tackled by the tyrant who wants to put his foot on every province of France as he has On Alsace and" "Oh, there you are!" broke in Du- prez. That foolish cry of Alsace and Lorraine. What is Alsace? What is Lorraine? What is France? What is Germany, Austria, Russia? What are these imaginary lines drawn across fields and mountains and valleys? What are these artificial divisions
 of men that are set to fighting one
 another on the fiimsiest pretexts to
 gratify the lust of rulers. The Ger man tyranf, you say! Yes. the Ger
 man tyrant. the Russian tyrant. the French tyrants. What is the republic of France. as it stands today. but an- other form of that same corruption. that same autocracy, that same trf umph of the few over the many that rules in all the world? Because you