The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-05-22
TheLast Shot
FREDERICK PALMER
(coDyriaht. 1914. BY Chazies scriboers soma

iic"ii' iiiS ouNs DCaA6 W eSt AhAoa
nation, he was gaining none. His
duty being to keep the Grays' secrets.
there was a leak somewhere in his
own department. He quizzed subordi-
mates he made abrupt transfers. to no
avail.
Meanwhile the Grays were taking
the approaches to the main line Of
defense, which had been thought rela-
lively immaterial but had been found
sh-ewdly placed and their vulnerable
ity overestimated. The thunders OF
batteries hammering them became
routine of existence. like the passing
OF trains to one living near a railroad.
The guns went on while tea was be-
ing served: they ushered in dawn and
darkness; they were going when sleep
came to those whom they later awak-
ened with start. Fights as desper-
ate as the one around the house be-
came features OF this period, which
was only warming-up practice for
the war demon before the orgy OF
impending assault on the main line.
Marta began to realize the tmmen-
Bity OF the chessboard and OF the
forces engaged in more than the bare
statement of numbers and distances.
If first attack on position failed.
the wires from the Galland house re-
peated their orders to concentrate
more guns and attack again. In the
end the Browns always yielded, but
grudgingly. calculatingly. never be-
ing taken by surprise. The few OF
them who fell prisoners said, God
with US! We shall win In the end!"
and answered no questions. Gradually
the Gray army began to feel that 1t
was battling with a mystery which
was fighting under cover, falling back
under coyer-a tenacious, watchful
mystery that sent sprays OF death into
every finger OF flesh that the Grays
thrust forward In assault.
Another position taken. Our ad-
vance continues" was the only news
that Westerling gave to the army, his
people, and the world. which forgot
its sports and murders and divorce
cases in following the progress OF the
first great European war for two gen
erations. He made no mention OF the
costs; his casualty lists were secret.
The Gray hosts were sweeping for
ward as a slow. irresistible tide; this
by Partow's own admission. He an
nounced the loss of position as
promptly as the Grays Its taking. He
published a daily list OF casualties so
meager in contrast to their own that
the Grays thought 1t false; he made
known the names of the killed and
wounded to their relatives. Yet the
seeming candor OF his press bureau
included no straw of information OF
military value to the enemy.
Westerling never went to tea at the
Gallands' with the other officers, for it
was part of his cultivation of great
ness to keep aloof from his subordi-
mates. His meetings with Marta hap
pened casually when he went out into
the garden. Only once had he made
any reference to the And then" of
their interview in the arbor
Il am winning battles for you." he
had exclaimed with the thing in his
eyes which she loathed.
To her it was equivalent to saying
that she had tricked him into sending
men to be killed in order to please
her. She despised herself for the
way he confided in her; yet she had
to go on keeping his confidence, re-
turning a te.der glance with one that
held out hope. She learned not to
shudder when he spoke of loss of
only ten thousand" In order to rally
herself when she grew faint-hearted
to her task, she learned to picture the
lines of his face hard-set with five
against-three brutality, while in com
fort he ordered multitudes to death,
and, in contrast. to recall the smile
of Dellarme, who asked his soldiers to
undergo no risk that he would not
share, And after every success he
would remark that he was so much
nearer Engadir, that position of the
main line of defense whose weakness
she had revealed.
Your Engadr." he came to say.
Then we shall again profit by your
information; that is, unless they have
fortified since you received it."
They haven't They had already
fortified" she thought. She was al
ways seeing the mockery OF his words
in the light of her own knowledge and
her own part which never escaped
her consciousness. One chamber OF
her mind was acting for him; sec
and chamber was perfectly aware that
the other was acting
"One position more-the Twin Boul-
der Redoubt 1t is called" he an
nounced at last We shall not press
hard in front. We shall drive in
masses on either side and storm the
TANKS"
This she was telephoning to Ian
stron few minutes later and having,
in return, all the news Of the Browns
The sheer fascination Of knowing what
both sides were doing exerted its spell