Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-02-19

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 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 a staff council.
Stunned by the losses and repulses,
Loyalty industrious, their opinions un-
asked, they, listened to his whirlwind
of orders without comment-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 I'M" he exclaimed.
isn't the position, which means tie
pass and the range, worth it,"
Yes, If we both take and hold it;
not If 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"
1--WE prepare for the movement,
your excellency," answered Turcas.
1t was a steel harness of his own
will that Westerling wore, without ad-
hitting that it CALLED him, and he laid
1t off only in Marta's presence. With
her, his growing sense Of isolation had
the relief Of companionship. She be-
came kind of mirror of his egoism
and ambitions. He liked to. have her
think Of him as a great man unruff1ed
among weaker men. In the quiet and
seclusion of the garden, Involuntary
as one who has no confidant speaks
to himself, reserving fortitude for HE
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.
1--WE must and we shall win!" he
kept repeating.
Through a rubber disk held to his
ear in the closet of his bedroom G
: 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 a score Of regiments; news fresl
: from the lips of the chief of staff O
the enemy. The attack was to b,
made at the right OF Engadir, it's cen
, ter breaking from the redoubt manned
) by Fracasse's men.
/ Marta, you genius!" Lanstron cried
r "You are the real general! YOU"
Not that, pleased" she broke in
l 'Tm as foul and depraved as a deale
in subtle poisons in the middle ages
: Oh, the shame of it, while l look int,
his eyes and feign admiration, feigl
= everything which will draw out hi
r plans! / can never forget the sigh
of him as he told me how two or thre
or four hundred thousand men wer
to be crowded into ram, as he calle
it-a ram Of human flesh!-and gun
enough in support, he said, to tear an
:, redoubts to pieces; guns enough t
8 make their shells as thick as the blu
8 lets from an automatic!"
|. We'll meet ram with ram! WEI
l. have some guns, tool" exclaimed La1
j. stron. We'll send as heavy she
fire at their infantry as they send int
4 our redoubts."
:. Don't. It's too like Westerling.
Q has become too trite!" she protest eC
r "The end! If I really were helpin
l. toward that and to save lives and on
It country to its people, what would m
Q private feelings matter? My honol
J. my soul-what would anything ma
8 ter? For that, any sacrifice. II
It only one human being-a weak, lun;
l. tic sort Of one, just now!"
Q Marta, don't suffer so! You ar
overwrought YOU"
If Il can say all that for you, Lanny
D. she interrupted with the faintest laugl
1--WE said it so many times to mysel
d Perhaps when l call you up again
shall not be so hysterical"
q Lanstron was not thinking of war c
10 wars combination when he hung u
Is the receiver. 1t was some moment
before he returned to the staff room
g and then he had mastered his EN-,
d. ton. He was the soldier again.
10 An hour or so before the attack tn
g telegraph instruments in the Gallan
IL house had become pregnantly silen
r. There were no more orders to give
10 no more reports to come from tn
:" troops in position until the assault wa
e. made. Officers of supply ceased
r transmit routine matters over the wir
r while they strained their eyes towar
ID the range. Officers of the STAFF move
ID about restlessly, glancing at the
~ watches and going to the windows FIR
,e quently to see if the mist still held.
af Ia At,No Il