Abilene weekly reflector., 1915-02-04


gotten. The wounded win be prou
OF their wounds and their fathers an
mothers triumphant when our arm
descends the other side of the rang
and starts on its march 10 the Browns
capital"
But you have not yet taken
single fortressI" persisted the premier
And the Browns report that they hav'
lost only three hundred thousAn'
men,"
"Lanstron is lyingl" retorted Wes
terlinS hotly. "But no matter. W.
have taken positions with every at
tack and kept crowding in closer.
ask nothing better than that the
Browns remain on the defensive. leav
ing initiative 10 US. We have devel
oped their weak points. The resolutt
offensive always wins. ! know where
am going TO attack; they do not. j
shall not give them time to reinforce
the defense at our chosen point.
have still plenty OF live soldiers left
shall go In with men enough this
time to win and TO hold"
The army is yours, Westerling,' y
concluded the premier. II admire your
stolidity of purpose. You have my con-
fidence. shall wait and hold the stu
alton at home the best can. We go
into the hall OF fame or into the gut
ter together, you and II"
For a while after he had hung up
the receiver Westerling's head
dropped. his muscles relaxed, giving
mind and body release from tension.
But his spine was as stiff as ever as
he left the closet, and he was even
smiling to give the impression that
the news from the capital was favor
able.
When he called his chiefs of divi-
sion 1t was hardly for staff council.
Stunned by the losses and repulses,
Loyalty Industrious. their opinions un-
asked, they listened to his whirlwind
of orders without coument-all except
Turcas.
IF they are apprised Of our plan and
are able to concentrate more artillery
than our guns can silence. the losses
will be demoralizing," he observed.
Westerling threw up his head. frown-
ing down the objection.
Suppose they amount to half the
forces that we send ini" he exclaimed.
isn't the position. which means the
pass and the range. worth it?"
"Yes, II we both take and hold It;
not II we fall" replied Turcas, quite
unaffected by Westerling's manner.
Failure is not in my lexicon!" Wes-
terling shot back. "For great gains
there must be great risks"
I'VE prepare for the movement,
your excellency." answered Turcas.
1t was a steel harness of his own
will that Westerling wore, without ad-
mitting that 1t CALLED him. and he laid
1t OF only in Marta's presence. With
her, his growing sense of isolation had
the relief of companionship. She be-
came a kind of mirror of his egoism
and ambitions. He liked to have her
think of him as a great man unrufhed
among weaker men. In the quiet and
seclusion of the garden, involuntarily
as one who has no confidant speaks
to himself, reserving fortitude for his
part before the staff, while she. under
the spell Of her purpose, silently, with
serene and wistfully listening eyes,
played hers, he outlined how the final
and telling blow was to be struck.
I'VE must and we shall win!" he |
kept repeating.
. .
Through q rubber disk held to his
ear in the closet Of his bedroom a
voice, tremulous with nervous fatigue,
was giving Lanstron news that all his
aircraft and cavalry and spies could
not have gained; news worth more
than q score Of regiments; news fresh |
from the lips Of the chief of star Of |
the enemy. The attack was to be |
made at the right Of Engadir. its CEN
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.
Pm as foul and depraved as a 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! l 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 fiesh!-and guns
enough in support, he said, to tear any
redoubts to pieces; guns enough to
make their shells as thick as the bull
cts from an automatic!"
"Well meet ram with ram! Well
rave some guns, tool" exclaimed Lam
,tron. well send as heavy a she'll
ire at their infantry as they send into
,ur redoubts."
Don't. It's too like Westerling. It
1aa hecoma too tritei" she protested