Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-01-22

eyes. He was old-fashioned; he looked
his part, which was one of the many
points of difference between him and
Lanstron as chief of intelligence.
1t lacked one minute to four when
Hedworth Westerling, chief of staff in
name as well as power now, alighted
from the gray automobile that turned
in at the Galland drive. His Excel
lency had not occupied his new head
quarters as soon as he expected, but
this could have no influence on results.
If he had lost fifty thousand men on
the first two days and two hundred
thousand since the war had begun,
should be allow this to disturb his
well-being of body or mind? His we'll
being of body and mind meant the ulti-
mate saving of lives.
Confidence was reflected in Wester-
ling's bearing and in his smile of COM
mand as he passed through the staff
rooms, Turcas and Bouchard in his
train, with tacit approval of the ar
engagements. Finally, Turcas, now vice
NAiASL VI oLoLL, anu IuO OIllC1 NhlCLo
awaited his pleasure in the library,
which was to be his sanctum. On the
! massive seventeenth-century desk lay
number of reports and suggestions.
Westerling ran through them with ac-
customed swiftness of sitting and then
turned to his personal aide.
Tell Francois that l will have tea
on the veranda."
From the fact that he took with him
| the papers that he had laid aside, sub
ordinate generals, with the gift of un-
| spoken directions which is a part of
their profession, understood that he
meant to go over the subjects requir-
| ing special attention while he had tea
Everything is going well-well!"
he added.
7" WELL" ran the unspoken commune
cation Of confidence through the staff
So we'll that His Excellency was
calmly taking tea on the veranda! For
the indefatigable Turcas the detail
for Westerling the front of Jove.
He had told Marta only two weeks
ago that he should see her again ii
war came; and war had come With
the inviting prospect of few holiday
moments in which to continue the in
terview that had been abruptly con
cluded in a hotel reception-room, he
started down the terrace steps. Above
the second terrace he saw a crown Of
woman's hair-hair of jet abundance
shading face that brought familiar
completeness to the scene. Theil
chances met where the path ended
at the second terrace flight; hers sho
with beam of restrained and ques
tioning good humor that spoke a
least a truce to the invader.
you called sooner than expected,
she said in a note of equivocal pleas
antry.
"Or l." he rejoined with a shade O
triumph, the politest Of triumph. HI
was step above her, her head on ;
level with the pocket OF his blouse
His square shoulders, commanding
height, and military erectness wer,
thus emphasized, as was her own femi
nine slightness.
Il want to thank you" she said "a
becomes soldier your forethough
was expressed in action. 1t was tn,
promptness of the men you sent t
look after the garden which saved tn,
uprooted plants before they were pas
recovery"
Il wished 1t for your sake and some
what for my own sake to be the SAM
that 1t was in the days when l uset
to call" he said graciously. Tea wa
from four to five, do you remember
Will you join me? have just orderet
it."
A generous, pleasant conqueror
this! No one knew better than Wester
ling how to be one when he chose H
was something of an actor. Leader
of men of his type usually are.
"Why, yes. Very gladly" she as
sented with no undue cordially an
no undue constraint, quite as If Their
were no war.
Neutrality could not be better i'm
personated, he thought, than in tn
even cleaving of her lips over tn
words. They seemed to say that
storm had come and gone and ney
set OF masters had taken the place O
the old. AS they approached tn
veranda Francois was placing the te
things.
Just like the old days, isn't it," h
exclaimed with his first sip, convince
that the officers commissary supple
excellent tea in the field.
Yes, for the moment-if we forge
the war;" she replied, and locke
away, preoccupied, toward the lane
scape.
If we forget the war! She bore O.
the words rather grimly. The chang
that he had noted between the Mart
of the hotel reception-room and tn
{ Marta of the moment was not alto
gether the work of ten years. 1t ha
: developed since she was in the cap
; tai. In these three weeks war ha
: been brought to her door. She ha