Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-02-03
CHAPTER xxI-cOntlnued.

on 10 the pest YET on IN Lne PURSUIT.
Nothing can stop usl We shall hit the
Grays so fast and hard that they can
never get their machine In order again.
God bless you! Everything that is fine
in me viii always think finely of you'll
You and Lanny--two fixed stars for
mel"
Truly" She was radiant "Truly?"
she asked wistfully.
Yes. yes-a yes as real as the
guns"
Then it helps! oh, low # helpsl"
she murmured almost inaudibly.
"Good-by! God bless you'll" he cried
as he started TO go, adding over his
shoulder merrily: "I1l send you pic
ture postcard from the Grays' capital
of my guns parked in the palace
square"
She watched him leap the garden
wall as lightly as he had come and
gallop away, an impersonaiion of the
gay. adventurous spirit OF war. count
ing death and wounds and hardship as
the delights of the gamble. Yes, he
would follow the Grays, throwing
shells in the irresponsible Joy of toss
ing confetti in a carnival. Pursuit.
Was Feller's the sentiment of the
army? Were the Browns not to stop
at the frontier? We're they to change
their song to. Now we have ours we
shall take some of theirs?' The
thought was fresh fuel to the live Goals
that still remained under the ashes.
A brigade commander and some OF
his staff.oflicers near by formed a
group with faces intent around an op-
orator who was attaching his instru-
ment to a feld-wire that had Just been
reeled over the hedge. Marta moved
toward them, but paused on bearing an
outburst of jubilant exclamations:
"A hundred thousand prisonersi"
And FIVE hundred guns."
We're coming in on their frontier
all along the Incl"
ITS increditle!"
But che word is ofIicial--it's right"
From mouth to mouth--a hundred
thousand prisoners. five hundred guns
the news was passed In the garden.
Eyes duh with fatigue began flashing
az the soldiers broke into a cheer that
was not led. cheer unlike any Marta
had heard before. 1t had the high
notes of men who were weary, of ter.
rible exultatlon, of spirit stronger than
tired legs and as yet unsatisfed. Other
ordinations from both officers and
men expressed a hunger whetted by
the taste OF one days victory.
wen go onl"
Wen make peace in their capitall"
"And with an indemnity that will
stagger the world"
Nothing is impossible with Lam
stron How he has worked il out
baited them TO their own destruction!"
"A frontier OF our own choosing!"
ION the next range. We win keep
all that stretch of plain therel"
And the river. tool"
They shall pay-pay for attacking
usl"
Pay, pay for the drudgery, the sleep
less nights, the dead and the wounded
for our dead and wounded No mat.
ter about theirsl The officers were too
intent in their citation to observe a
young woman, standing quite still her
tips thin line and a deep blaze in
Eer eyes as she looked this way and
that at che field of faces, seeking some
dissentient, some partisan of the right
She was seeing the truth now; the
cold truth, the old truth to which she
had been untrue when she took Eel.
ler's place. There could be no choice
of sides in war unless you believed in
war. One who fought for peace must
take up arms against all armies Her
part as spy appeared TO her clad in
new kind of shame; the desertion of
her principles
Nor did the officers observe a man of
thirty-hve. wearing the cords of the
stan and generals stars. coming
around the corner Of the house. Mar.
ta's feverish. rowing glance had noted
him directly he was in sight. His face
seemed TO be In keeping with the
other faces. in the ardor OF a hunt un.
finished; hand in blouse pocket, his
bearing little too easy to be conven.
tionally military-the same Lanny.
She was dimly conscious of surprise
not to find him changed. perhaps DO.
cause he was unaecompanied by a re.
tinue or any other symbol OF his power.
He might have been coming TO cali on
Sunday afternoon. In that first
glimpse it was difficult to think OF
him as tn commander Of an army. But
that he "a. she must not forget. She
was shaken and trembling: and a
mist rose before her. so that she did
not see him clearly when, with a gee
ture OF relief, he saw her.
"Lanstron!" exclaimed an officer in
the first explosive breath of amaze.
ment on recognizing him; then added /:
His Excellency. the chief OF star!"
But the one word, Lanstron. had
been enough to tErill all the officers
into silence and ranrod salutes. Marta
noted the Difference q their glances as
they covertly looked HIM over.
Il wanted glimpse OF the front as
well as the rear" Lnnstron remarked
in explanation ci his presence to the
general OF brigade as he passed on
toward Nara. who was thinking that
she, at least. was not In awe OF him:
she. e least, saw clearly and truly his
pat.
Marital Marital"
Lanstron'S Toice was tremulous a,
II be we're m awe OF her, while he
drank fn tina fart that che s.eac tha..