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

Then a staff-officer appeared in the
doorway. When he saw a woman en-
tor the room he frowned. He had rid
den from the town, which was empty
OF women, fact that he regarded as
d blessing. If she had been a maid
servant he would have kept on his
cap. Seeing that she was not, he re-
moved it and found himself in want of
words as their eyes met after she had
made a gesture to the broken glass
on the floor and the lacerated table
aap, which said too plainly:
do you admire your work."
The fact that he was we'll groomed
and freshly shaven did not in any wise
dissipate in her feminine mind his
connection with this destruction. He
aad never seen anything like the smile
which went with the gesture. Her
ayes we're two continuing and chal-
fenging flames. Her chin was held
high and steady, and the pallor of ex-
haustion, with the blackness of her
hair and eyes, made her strangely
commanding. He understood that she
was not waiting for him to speak, but
70 go.
81 did not know that there was a
woman here!" he said.
'"And l did not know that officers Of
the Grays were accustomed to enter
yrivate houses without invitations!"
she replied.
This is little different" he began.
She interrupted him.
But the law of the Grays is that
aomes should be left undisturbed, isn't
It? At least, it is the law Of civiliza-
zion. believe you profess, too, to pro-
sect property, do you not?"
Why yes!" he agreed. He wished
shat he could get little respite from
Che steady fire of her eyes. 1t was en-
sarrassing and as confusing as the
white light of an impracticable logic.
I'm that case, please place a guard
around our house lest some more of
your soldiers get out of control" she
went on.
Il can do that, yes" he said. But
we are to make this a staff headquar.
ters and must start at once to put the
Aouse in readiness"
General Westerling's headquar
Ters?" she inquired.
He parted the question with a
Grown. Staff-oficers never give infor
Mation. They receive information and
transmit orders.
Il know General Westerling. You
will tell him that my mother, Mrs. Gal
land, and our maid and myself are
very tired from the entertainment he
has given us, unasked, and we need
Yleep tonight. So you will leave us
until morning and that door, sir, is the
one out into the grounds"
The staff-officer bowed and went out
by that door, glad to get away from
Marta's eyes. His inspection of the
premises with view to plans for staff
accommodation could wait. Wester
ling would not be here for two days
at least.
"Whew! What energy she has!" he
tHOuSuI. HtNel ldu any DOuy uldht
me feel so contemptibly unlike gen
Gleman in my life"
Yet Marta, returning to the hail. hat
TO steady herself in a dizzy moment
against the wall. Complete reaction
had come. She craved sleep as If i
were the one true, real thing in the
world. She cr.ved sleep for the clarit!
of mind that comes with the morning
light. In the haziness of fleecy thought
as slumber drew its soft clouds
around her, her last conscious visions
were the pleasant ones rising free o
background of horror; of Feller''
smile when he went back to his auto
matte for good; of Dellarmes smile al
he was dying: of Stransky's smile al
Minna gave him nope; and of Hugo
ace as he uttered his flute-like cry o
protest In her ears were the haunt