The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-05-01

TurcasIs 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 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 reconnois-
sance in force, however costly; the
rapid-firers Of the 18th Division would
be transferred to the Goth: despite the
37th Brigade's losses, 1t 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would be superseded after his failure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 a look behind the
scenes at the fountainhead of great
events Power. power! The abso-
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 man who could
make and unmake not only generals
| but even the destinies of peoples. BY
| every sign he enjoyed his power for
it's own sake. There must be Il chief
| 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 Ian
stron as they faced each other after
the wreck of the aeroplane ten years
ago; the iron invincibiity 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
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 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 f1attery that. he knew;
| w 40 90 faction n a fart UhpSa
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 well for
you, doesn't it?"
Delicious morsel, this, to connois-
seur in compliments! He tasted it
with the same self-satisted smile that
he had her first prophecy. To her
| who had then voiced a secret he had
shared with no one, as his chest
swelled with full breath, he barred
another in the delight of the impress
sion he had made on her.
Yes, as you foresaw-as planned"
| he said yes, | planned all, step by
step, till was chief of staff and ready.
| convinced the premier that it was
time to strike and chose the hour to
strike; for Bodlapoo was only con-
venient excuse for the last of all the
steps"
| (TO BE CONTINUED)