The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-01-28

ice to him as an officer.
Finding enough work to do?" Par
tow would ask with a chuckle when
they met in these days: for he had
made Lanstron both chief of intelli-
gence and chief aerostatic officer.
Young Colonel Lanstron's was the duty
of gaining the secrets of the Gray
staff and keeping those Of the Brown
and organizing up-to-the-moment etti-
cheney in the new forces Of the air.
He had remarked truly enough that
the injury to his left hand served as
better reminder against the folly of
wool-gathering than a string, even
large red string, tied around his fin
ger. Thanks to skillful surgery, the
fingers, incapable of spreading much,
were yet serviceable and had firm
grip of the wheel as he rose from the
aeroplane station on the Sunday morn
ing after Marta's return home for a
flight to La Tir.
He knew the pattern weaving under
his feet as one knows that Of his own
garden from an overlooking window.
Every detail of the staff map, ravines,
roads. buildings. battery positions. was
stitched together in the flowing reality
of actual vision. No white posts were
necessary to tell him where the
boundary between the two nations lay.
The line was drawn in his brain.
Now that Lanstron was the organ
izer of the aviation corps his own
flights were rare. Mostly they were,
made to La Tir. His visits to Marta
were his holidays. All the time that
she was absent on her journey around
the world they had corresponded. Her
letters, so revealing of herself and her
peculiar angles of observation, formed
bundle sacredly preserved. Her
mothers joking reference about her
girlish resolution not to marry sol
der often required to him. There, he
sometimes thought, was the real OBJ
stacle to his great desire.
When he alighted from the plane he
thrust his left hand into his blouse
pocket. He always carried it there,
as If it were literally sewn in place.
In moments of emotion the SCARED
nerves would twitch as the telltale Of
his constituencies; and this was some
thing he would conceal from others no
matter how conscious he was of it him
SELF He found the Galland veranda
deserted. In response to his ring q
maid came to the open door. Her
face was sad, with beauty that had
prematurely faded. But it lighted
pleasurably in recognition. Her hair
was thick and tawny, lying low over
the brow; her eyes were a softly
luminous brown and her full lips sensi-
tive and yielding. Lanstron, an inti-
mate of the Galland household, knew
her story well and the part that Marta
had played in 1t.
Some four years previously, when a
baby was in prospect for Minna, who
wore no wedding ring, Mrs. Galland
had been inclined to send the maid to
an institution, where they will take
good care of her, my dear. That's
what such institutions are for. 1t is
quite scandalous for her and for us
never happened in our family before!"
Marta arched her eyebrows.
I'VE don't know!" she exclaimed
softly.
How can you think such a thing,
let alone saying it-you, Galland!"
her mother gasped in indignation.
THAT is, if we go far back" said
Marta. cat all events. we have no
precedent, so let's establish one by
keeping her"
But for her own sakei She will
have to live with her shame!" Mrs.
Galland objected. Let her begin
afresh in the city. We shall give her
good recommendation, for she is
really an excellent servant. Yes, she
will readily find place among
strangers"
still, she doesn't want to go, and it
would be cruel to send her away"
Cruel! Why, Marta. do you think
would be cruel? Oh, very well, then
we will let her stayl"
Both are away at church. Mrs. Gal
land ought to be here any minute, but
Miss Galland will be later because of
her children's class" said Minna. will
you wait on the veranda?'
He was saying that he would stroll
in the garden when childish footsteps
were heard in the hall, and after
curly head had nestled against the
mothers skirts its owner, reminded OF
the Importance of manners in the
world where the stork had left her,
made a curtesy. Lanstron shook a
small hand which must have lately
been on intimate terms with sugar or
jam.
How do you do, flying soldier man?"
chirruped Clarissa Eileen. 1t was evil
dent that she held Lanstron in high
favor
LET me hear you say your name"
said Lanstron
Clarissa Eileen was triumphant. She
had been waiting for days with the
revelation when he should make that
old request. Now she enunciated it
with every vowel and consonant cor
rectly and primly uttered; indeed, she
repeated it four or five times in proof
Of complete mastery.
"a pretty name. I've often wondered
how you came to give it to her." said
Lanstrox 20 Minna.
"Ysu do like It'll" exclaimed Minna
vita girlish eagerness. ST gave her