The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-06-05

brought back some OF the buoyaA0y Of
spirit that he craved A woman's ng-
ure. with q cape thrown over the shout
ders and the head bare. doomed out Of
the mist
Il couldn't stay in-not tonight"
Marta said a. Westerling drew near.
Il had to see. It's only . quarter Of
an hour now. isn't IT."
She seemed SO utterly frail and
distraught that Westerling. In An i'm
pulse Of protection, laid his hand on
her relaxed shoulder
Our cause is at stake tonight" he
declared. yours and mine! We must
win, you and 1! 1t il our destinyl"
You and II" repeated Marta. why
you and II"
II seemed very strange to be think
ing OF any two persons when hundreds
OF thousands were awaiting the signal
for the death prepared by him. He
mistook the character of her thought
in the obsession OF his egoism.
What do lives meant" he cried with
sudden desperation. his grip of her
shoulders tightening. TT is the law
Of nature for man to Tight Unless he
| fights he goes to seed. One trouble
with our army 10 that it was soft from
the want Of war. 1t ts the law OF ma
ture for the f1ttest to survive! Other
sons will be born to take the place OF
those who die tonight. There will be
all the more room for those who live.
Victory will create new opportunities.
What is a million out OF the billions
30 So~ - L.
lead alone count-those who dwell In
the atmosphere Of the peaks, as we
dol" The pressure of his strong hands
in the unconscious emphasis OF his
passion became painful: but she did
not protest or try to draw away, think
ing Of his hold in no personal sense
but as q part of his self-revelation All
all 10 at stake there!" he continued.
staring toward the range. Its the
Rubicon! have put my career on to-
nights cast! Victory means that the
world will be at our feet-honor, po-
sition. power greater than that of any
other two human beings! Do you
realize what that means-the honor
and the power that will be ours?
shall have directed the greatest army
the world has ever known to victory!"
And defeat means-what does de-
feat mean" she asked narrowly. calm
ly: and the pointed question released
her shoulders from the wise.
What had been a shadow In his
thoughts became . live monster. strik-
ing him with the force of a blow. He
forgot Marta. Yes. what would de-
feat mean to himf Sheer human ma
ture broke through the bonds OF men
tai discipline weakened by sleepless
nights. Convulsively his head dropped
as he covered his face
Defeat! Fail! That should faili"
he moaned.
Then It was that she saw him in the
reality Of his llttleness. which she had
OWNED: this would-be conqueror She
saw him as his intimates often see the
Don't we know that Napoleon had mo-
ments OF privacy when he whined and
threatened suicide? She wondered II
Lanny. too, were like that-if 1t were
not the nature Of all conquerors who
could not have their way. 1t seemed
to her that Westerling was beneath
the humblest private In his army-be-
meath even that fellow with the liver
patch on his cheek who had broken
the chandelier in the sport OF brutal
passion. All sense of her own part was
submerged In the sight of a chief Of
stan exhibiting no more stoicism than
a petulant, spoiled schoolboy.
While his head was still bent the ar
tillery began Its crashing thunders and
the sky became light with flashes. His
hands stretched out toward the range,
clenched and pulsing with defiance and
command.
Go in! Go in, as l told you'll" he
cried Stay in. alive or dead! Stay
till tell you to come out! Stay! ]
can't do any more! You must do It
now"
Then this may be truly the end"
thought Marta. III the assault fails"
And silently she prayed that 1t would
fail; while the flashes lighted Wester-
ling's set features. imploring success
In the Browns headquarters, as in
the Grays. telegraph instruments were
obChS oAeSA Lie ~ Spdi dticAo were over.
Here, also. officers walked restlessly.
glancing at their watches. They, too,
were glad that the mist continued 1t
meant no wind. When the telegraph
did speak 1t was with another message
from some aerostatic officer saying.
Still favorable" which was taken at
once to Lanstron, who was with the
staff chiefs around the big table. They
nodded at the news and smiled to one
another: and some who had been pac-
ing sat down and others rose to begin
pacing afresh.
We could have emplaced two lines
OF automatics, one above the other!"
exclaimed the chief of artillery.