The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-03-27
(Copyright, 1914, BY Charles scribners sons)
CHAPTER xxl-continued.

CHAPTER xxl-Continued.
I'VE are going on, and my guns,
on to the best yet on in the pursuit!
Nothing can stop US! 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 will always think finely Of you!
You and Lanny-two fixed stars for
mel"
"Truly!" She was radiant "TrulyT
she asked wistfully.
"Yes, yes-a yes as real as the
guns!"
Then it helps! Oh, how it helps"
she murmured almost inaudibly.
"Good-by! God bless you!" he cried
as he started to go, adding over MS
shoulder merrily: I'll 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 impersonation 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? Were 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-oficers near by formed
group with faces intent around an OPP
orator who was attaching his instru-
ment to q field-wire that had just been
reeled over the hedge Marta moved
toward them. but paused on hearing an
outburst Of jubilant EXPLANATIONS:
"A hundred thousand prisoners!"
And five hundred guns!"
Were coming in on their frontier
Ill along the Incl"
Its incredible!"
But the word is official-it's right"
From mouth to mouth-a hundred
thousand prisoners, FIVE hundred guns
the news was passed In the garden.
Eyes dull with fatigue began flashing
A the soldiers broke into a cheer that
was not led, q cheer unlike any Marta
had heard before. 1t had the high
notes of men who were weary. of ter
rible exultation. Of spirit stronger thar
tired legs and as yet unsatisfied. Othel
ordinations from both officers and
men expressed q hunger whetted b,
the taste of one days victory.
"we1l 90 ont"
We'll make peace In their capital!'
"And with an indemnity that viii
stagger the world"
Nothing IL impossible with Ian
stron. How he has worked 1t out
baited them to their own destruction!
"A frontier of our own choosing"
ION the next range. We will kee
all that stretch Of plain there!"
"And the river, tool"
"They shall pay-pay for attackin
usi"
Pay, pay for the drudgery. the sleeI
less nights. the dead and the wounde
for our dead and wounded! No ma
ter about theirs! The officers were to
intent In their citation to observe
young woman, standing quite still. he
lips q thin line and a deep blaze
her eyes as she looked this way an
that at the field of faces, seeking som
dissentient. some partisan Of the RICH
She was seeing the truth now; Ii
cold truth, the old truth to which 81
had been untrue when she took Fe
ler's place. There could be no choit
OF sides In war unless you believed
war One who fought for peace mu
take up arms against all armies. H,
part as spy appeared to her clad
new kind Of shame; the desertion
her principles.
Nor did the officers observe a man
thirty-five, wearing the cords of Il
staff and q generals stars, comm
around the corner of the house. Ms
tas feverish, rowing glance had not,
him directly he was In sight. His IA
seemed to be In keeping with h
other faces. in the ardor Of hunt U
finished; hand In blouse pocket, /
bearing q little too easy to be conve
tionally military-the same Lanny.
She was dimly conscious Of surpri
not to find him changed, perhaps
cause he was unaccompanied by a
tinue or any other symbol OF his pow
He might have been coming to call
O Sunday afternoon. In that III
glimpse 1t was difficult to think
him as the commander Of an army. B
that he was. she must not forget. 8
was shaken and trembling; and
mist rose before her. SO that she
not see him clearly when, with g
ture Of relief, he saw her.
'Lanstron!" exclaimed an officer
the first explosive breath of anna
ment on recognizing him; then adde
"His Excellency. the chief Of staff!'
But the one word, Lanstron. b
been enough to thrill all the ofic,
into silence and ramrod salutes. Ma
noted the Difference Of their glances
they covertly looked him over.
II wanted glimpse of the front
well as the rear" Lanstron remark
in explanation of his presence to I
general of brigade as he passed
toward Marta, who was thinking Il
she. at least, was not in awe of hi
she, at least, saw clearly and truly