The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-03-19
CHAPTER xxll-Continued.

81 think we have practically agreed
that the two individuals who were in
Miss Galland." Lanstron remarked ten
tatively. He waited for a reply. 1t
was apparent that he was laying a
foundation before he went any fur
Sher.
Certainly" said the vice-chief.
And 9ou" put in another officer,
which brought a chorus OF, assent.
mo, not I-only these two!" Ian
stron replied. "Or, |. too, II you pre-
fer. 1t little matters. The thing is
that | am under a promise 10 both,
which | shall respect He organized
and labored for the same purpose that
she played the spy. When we sent
the troops forward In oounter-attack
and pursuit to clear our soil OF the
Grays; when ! stopped them at the
frontier-both were according to Par
sow's plan. He had a plan and a
dream, this wonderful old man who
made Us all seem primary pupils in
the art of war"
Could it be that terrible Partow, a
stroke OF whose pencil had made the
Galland house an inferno? Marta
wondered as Lanstron read his mes
sage-the message out Of the real
heart OF the man, throbbing with the
power OF his great brain. His plan
was TO hold the Grays to stalemate; ;
TO force them to desist after they had
battered their battalions to pieces
against the Brown fortifications. His
dream was the thing that had hap
pened-that an opportunity would
come to pursue a broken machine in
a bold stroke of the offensive.
Il would want to be hero OF our
people for only one aim, TO be able
10 stop our army at the frontier" he
had written. Then they might drive
me forth heaped with obloquy, II they
chose. | should like to see the Grays
demoralized, beaten. ready to sue for
peace, the better to prove my point
that we should ask only for what is
ours and that our strength was only
for the purpose OF holding what is
ours. Then we should lay up no leg
acy OF revenge in their hearts. They
again. Civilization would have ad
vanced another step"
Lanstron continued to read to the
amazed staff, for Partows message
had looked far into the future. Then
there was p. S., written after the
war had begun. on the evening Of the
day that Marta had gone from tea on
the veranda with Westerlng to the
telephone, in the impulse OF her new
purpose.
81 begin to believe in that dream,
he wrote 81 begin to believe that the
chance for the offensive will come
now that my colleague, Miss Galland
IN the name OF peace has turned prac
fical. There is nothing like mixing a
fttle practice in your dreams while
the world is still we'll this side OF
Utopia, as the head on my old behe
moth of a body well knows. She had
the right idea with her school, The
oath so completely expressed my
ideas-the result of all my thinking
that | had twinge of literary jeal
Ousy. My boy, IL you do reach the
frontier. in pursuit OF broken army
and you do not keep faith with my
dream and with her ideals, then you
will get a lesson that will last you for
ever at the foot OF the Gray range
But do not think so badly as that OF
you or of my judgment of men"
"Lanny! Lanny!"
The dignity of staff council could
not restrain Marta. Her emotion must
have action. She sprang to his side
and seized his hand, her exultation
mixed with penitence over the way
she had wronged him and Partow
Their self-contained purpose had been
she same as hers and they had worked
with a soldiers fortitude. while she
had worked with whims and impulses
She bent over him with gratitude and
praise and a plea for forgiveness in
her eyes. submerging the thing which
he sought In them. He flushed boy
ishly In happy embarrassment, inca
pable OF words for an instant; and
silently the staff looked on.
And agree with Partow," Lanstron
went on. that we cannot take the
range. The Grays still have numbers
equal TO ours. II Is they. now, who
will be singing God with usl' with
their backs against the wall With
Partow's goes my own appeal TO the
army and the nation; and I shall keep
faith with Partow. with Miss Galland
and with my own ideas. IL the govern.
ment orders the army to advance. by
resiguing as chief OF stan-my work
finished"
Westerling and his aide and valet
inquiring their way as strangers. found
the new STAFF headquarters OF the
Grays established In an army building
where Bouchard had been assigned 70
trivial duties. back OF the Gray range
AS their former chief entered a room
In the disorder OF maps and packing
cases. the staff-ofiicers rose from their