The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-01-30

One by one, almost per1unctorIIy,
Westerling gave his assent as he
passed the papers to Turcas; while
Turcas's dry voice, coming from be-
tween a narrow opening of the thin
lips, gave his reasons with a rapid
firer's precision in answer to his
chiefs inquiries.
With each order somewhere along
that frontier some unit OF a great or
ganism would respond. The reserves
from this position would be trans.
ferred to that; such a position would
be felt out before dark by a reconnois-
sance in force, however costly; the
rapid-firers of the 10Th Division would
be transferred to the goth; despite the
37th Brigade's losses, it would still
form the advance; General So-and-So
would be superseded after his failure
of yesterday; Colonel So-and-So would
take his place as acting major-general;
more care must be exercised in recon-
mendations for bronze crosses, lest
. their value so depreciate that officers
and men would lack incentive to win
them.
Marta was having look behind the
scenes at the fountainhead OF great
events Power! power! The apeo-
Lutte power of the soldier in the saddle,
with premier and government and all
| the institutions of peace only dim
background for the processes OF war!
Opposite her was a man who could
make and unmake not only generals
but even the destinies of peoples. by
every sign he enjoyed his power Tor
| it's own sake. There must be chlef
Of the five millions, which were as
moving forest of destruction, and here
was the chief, his strength reflected
in the strong muscles Of his short
! neck as he turned his head to listen
| to Turcas. Marta recalled the con-
trast between Westerling and Lam
stron as they faced each other after
the wreck of the aeroplane ten years
ago; the iron invincibility OF the
elders sturdy, mature figure and the
alert, high-strung invincibility Of the
slighter figure of the younger man.
He had taken up paper thought
fully after Turcas withdrew, when he
looked up to Marta in answer to a
| movement in her chair. She had bent
forward in a pose that freed her figure
from the chair-back in an outline OF
suppleness and frmness; her lips were
parted, showing a faint line OF the
white Of her teeth, and he caught her
gazing at him in kind Of wondering
admiration. But she dropped her eye
lids instantly and said deliberately
less to him than to herself:
You have the gift"
No tea-table fattery that, he knew;
only the reflection of fact whose ex
istence had been borne in on her by
observation.
THE gift? How?" he inquired
speaking to the fringe of hair that
half hid her lowered face.
She looked up. smiling brightly.
you don't know what gift! Not
the pianist's! Not the poets! Why
Of course, the supreme gift Of com
mand! The thing that made you CHIEF
of staff! And the war goes we'll fol
you, doesn't it?"
Delicious morsel, this, to q connois
seur in compliments! He tasted II
with the same self-satisfied smile thai
he had her first prophecy. To hel
who had then voiced a secret he hat
shared with no one. as his chest
swelled with a full breath, he baret
another in the delight of the impress
sion he had made on her.
"Yes. as you foresaw-as planned!
he said. Eyes, planned all. step b!
step, till I was chief of st 7 and ready
convinced the premier that 1t wal
time to strike and / chose the hour t,
strike; for Bodlapoo was only a con
: venient excuse for the last of all tn,
steps"
CTo BE CoNTINUED)