The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-02-05

1t lacked one minute to four when
Hedworth Westerling. chief of staff in
name as we'll 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. |
II he had lost fifty thousand men on |
the first two days and two hundred |
thousand since the war had begun
should he allow this to disturb his
well-belng Of body or mind? His we'll
being Of body and mind meant the ulu-
mate saving of lives.
Confidence was reflected in Wester
ing $ 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
chief OF staff, and the other chiefs
awaited his pleasure in the library,
which was to be his sanctum On the
! massive mountaineering desk lay
number OF reports and suggestions
Westerling ran through them with &C
customed swiftness Of sitting and then
turned to his personal aide.
Tell Francois that | 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 UNI
spoken directions which is a part Of
their profession, understood that he
meant to 90 over the subjects requir-
ing special attention while he had tea.
Everything is going well-wel."
he added.
WELL" ran the unspoken communi-
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 If
war came; and war had come. With
the inviting prospect OF a 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 crown OF
Woman's hair-hair Of jet abundance
shading a face that brought familiar
completeness to the scene. Their
glances met where the path ended
at the second terrace flight; hers shot
with a beam of restrained and ques
! tioning good humor that spoke al
least truce to the invader.
you called sooner than | expected,
she said in note of equivocal pleas
antry.
"Or l." he rejoined with shade o.
triumph, the politest Of triumph. He
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.
81 want to thank you" she said. "a
! becomes a 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
81 wished it for your sake and some
I what for my own sake to be the sam
q that it was in the days when l use
to CALL" he said graciously. "Tea wa
9 from four to five, do you remember
8 Will you Join me? have just ordeEe
! it."
A generous, pleasant conQuerol
& this! No one knew better than WEBSTER
q ling how to be one when he chose. H
4 was something Of an actor Leader
of men Of his type usually are.
\ why, yes. Very gladly!" she a
scented with no undue cordially an
no undue constraint, quite as if ther
\ were no war.
Neutrality could not be better In
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 a ne
set of masters had taken the place
/ the old. As they approached TT
! veranda Francois was placing the te
! things.
"Just like the old days, isn't it,"
exclaimed with his first sip, convince
that the officers commissary supple
, excellent tea in the field.
YES, for the moment--if we forg
the war!" she replied. and locke
away, preoccupied, toward the Ian
scape.
If we forget the war! She bore
the words rather grimly. The cham
49, that he had noted between the Mar
re of the hotel reception-room and Il
Of Marta of the moment was not al,
%. gether the work Of ten years. 1t hi
k. developed since she was in the ca
ne tall In these three weeks war hi
r. been brought to her door. She h
be been under heavy fire. Yet this 81
st ject of the war was the one which
Is, as an invader, considered hims'
bound to avoid.
II. I'VE do forget 1t at tea, don't we