The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-03-25

race OF Intellects In the scratch class.
One by one, almost perfunctorily.
Westerling gave his assent as he
passed the papers to Turcas; while
Turcaa's dry voice, coming from be-
tween narrow opening OF the thin
lips. gave his reasons with q 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 a reconnois'
sance in force, however costly; the
rapid -firers Of the 10th Division would
be transferred to the Goth; despite the
37th Brigades losses, 1t would still
form the advance; General Soand.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would be superseded after his failure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 10 depreciate that officers
and men would lack incentive to win
them.
Marta was having look behind tho
scenes at the fountainhsad OF great
events. Power! power! The abeo"
lutte power OF the soldier In the saddle,
with premier and government and all
the institutions Of peace only Gxn
background for the processes OF '~&tF
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 chlel
OF the five millions, which were as
moving forest of destruction, and mere
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
movement in her chair. She had bent
forward in pose that freed her figure
from the chair-back In an outline or
suppleness and firmness; her lips were
parted, showing a faint line of the
white OF her teeth, and he caught her
gazing at him in a 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 fiattery 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 for
you, doesn't it?"
Delicious morsel, this, to a connois.
seur in compliments! He tasted it
with the same self-satisfed 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. "Yese 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 a con-
venient excuse for the last of all the
steps"
cro BE CoNTINUED)