Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1915-04-07

/
the mist.
Il couldn't stay in--not tonight"
Marta said as Westerling drew near.
had TO see. It's only a quarter OF
an hour now. isn't it?"
She seemed so utterly frsil and
distraught that Westerling, in an i'm
pulse OF protection, laid his hand on
her relaxed shoulders.
Our cause is at stake tonight" he
declared. yours and minel We must
win. you and 1! 1t is our destiny"
You and II" repeated Marta. why
you and II"
Ii seemed very strange to be think
Ing of any two persons when hundreds
OF thousands were awaiting the signal
for the death prepared by him. He
mistook the character OF her thought
In the obsession OF his egoism.
What do lives mean2" he cried with
a sudden desperation. his grip OF her
shoulders tightening 1T is the law
OF nature for man to fight. Unless he
nights he goes to seed. One trouble
with our army is that it was soft from
the want of war. It is the law of ma
|
sons Will be born to take the place of
those who die tonight. There will be
all the more room for those who live.
victory will create new opportunities.
What Is a million out of the billions
on the face of the earth? Those who
lead alone count-those who dwell In
| the atmosphere of the peaks, as we
| do.' The pressure OF his strong hands
IN the unconscious emphasis Of his
passion became painful; but she did
not protest or try to draw away. think
ing of his hold in no personal sense
but as part of his self-revelation All
AL is at stake there!- he continued.
staring toward the range It's the
Rubicon! l have put my career on to-
nights castl Victory means that the
world Will be at our feet-honor. po-
| sition. power greater than that OF any
| other two human beings. Do you
reallze what that means-the honor
! and the power that will be ours? /
! snail have directed the greatest army
the world has ever known to victory,"
And defeat means-vhat does de-
feat mean?" she asked narrowly. calm
her shoulders from the wise
What had been a shadow in his
thoughts became live monster, strik-
ing him with the force OF a blow. He
forgot Marta. Yes, what would de-
| feat mean to him, Sheer human ma
| ture broke through the bonds OF men
tai discipline weakened by sleepless
| nights. Convulsively his head dropped
| as he covered his face
Defeat Fail! That 1 should fall"
! he moaned
Then 1t was that she saw him in the
| reality of his littleness. which she had
OWNED; this would-be conqueror. She
saw him as his intimates often see the
| great man without his front Of love.
Don't we know that Napoleon had mo-
| ments OF privacy when he vhined and
threatened suicide, She wondered if
! Lanny. too. were like that-if it were
not the nature of all conQuerors who
could not have their way 1t seemed
to her that Westerling was beneath
the humblest private in his army-be-
meath even that fellow with the liver
patch on his cheek who had broken
the chandelier In the sport OF brutal
passion. All sense OF her own part was
submerged in the sight Of a chief of
| staff exhibiting no more stoicism than
a petulant. spoiled schoolboy.
While his head was still bent the ar
tiilery began its crashing thunders and
the sky became light with flashes. His
| hands stretched out toward the range.
| cienched and pulsing with defiance and
command.
Go in! Go In. as 1 told you," he
| cried. Stay in, alive or deadi Stay
till tell you to come out. Stay, i
! can't do any more. You must do 1t
nowi"
Then this may be truly the end"
thought Marta. "if the assault fails"
And silently she prayed that it would
| fail; while the flashes lighted Wester-
| ltng's set features. impIoring success.
In the Browns headquarters. az In
the Grays'. telegraph instruments were
silent after the preparations were over.
Here. also. officers walked reatlessly.
| glancing at their watches. They. too.
were glad that the mist continued. It
meant no wind When the telegraph
did speak it was with another message
| from some aerostatic officer saying.
still favorable" which was taken at
once to Lanstron. who was with the
STAFF chiefs around the big table They
nodded at the news and smiled to one
another; and some who had been pac-
ing sat down and others rose to begin
| pacing afresh
We could have emplaced two lines
Of automatics. one above the other!"
exclaimed the chief OF artillery.
But that would have given too much
OF climb for the infantry in going in
delayed the rush." said Lanstron.
IF they should stick-lf we couldn't
drive them backi" exclaimed the vice