Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-01-21

sucn was her emotion; and he, too
was held IN a spell, as the reality of
her, after all that had passed. filed
his eyes. He waited for her to speak,
but she was silent.
"Marta-that bandage! You have
been hurtl" he exclaimed.
It's the fashion to be wounded" she
said, eyebrows lifted and lashes low
cred, with nervous smile. Il played
Florence Nightingale, the natural WON
ans part, l believe. We should never
protest; only nurse the victims of war.
After helping to send men to death l
went under fire myself, and-and that
helped"
yes, that would help" he agreed.
wincing as from a knife thrust.
Her old taunt: sending men to death
and taking no risk himself! She saw
that he WINGED; she realized that she
had stayed words that we're about to
come in a food She was marshaling
her thoughts to begin when the brittle
silence was broken by rumbIing of
voices, a stirring of feet, and a cheer.
"Lanstron! Lanstronl Hurrah for
Lanstron!"
The soldiers in the garden did not
bother with any Your ExceIlency, the
chief Of staff formula when word had
been passed of his presence. Marta
looked around to see their tempestu-
Gus enthusiasm as they tossed their
caps in the air and sent up their spon-
taneous tribute from the depths of
their lungs. Conqueror and hero to
the living, but the dead could not
speak, whispered some fiend in her
heart.
Lanstron uncovered to the demon
stration impulsively, when the conven-
uonal military acknowledgment would
have been a salute. He always looked
more like the real Lanny to her with
his forehead bare. It completed the
ensemble of his sensitive features. She
saw that he was blinking almost boy
ishIy at the compliment and noted the
little deprecatory shake of his head,
as much as to say that they were
making mistake
Thank you'll" he called, and the
cheeriness of his voice, she thought,
expressed his real self; the delight of
victory and the glowing anticipation
of further victories.
Thank you'll" called the private with
big voice.
Yes, thank you'll" repeated some of
the officers in quick appreciation of a
compliment as real as human courage.
He stood smiling for a moment in
reply to their smiles; then, still smil-
ing, but in a different way, he said to
Marta:
AS you say, that helps!" with nod
toward the bandage on her forearm
and hurTiedly turned away.
She saw him involuntarily clutch the
wrist above the pocket of his blouse to
still the twitching; but beyond that
there was no further sign of emotion
as he went TO the telephone. Instantly
| he was through he started toward the
| pass road, not by the path to the steps
| but by leaping from terrace to terrace
| and waving his hand gayIy to the sol
| uiSlS DIS liz WENT L ne OLIC6I0 SIdI0C
| at the sight of a chief of staff break
| ing away from his communications il
this unceremonious fashion. They
saw him secure a horse from a groul
of cavalry officers on the road and gal
| lop away.
Marta having been the object o
Lanstron's attention how became the
object of theirs. 1t was good to see
woman, woman of the Browns, afte
their period of separation from femi
nine society. She found herself hold
ing an impromptu reception. Sh'