The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-03-18
CHAPTER XIII.
From Brown 60 Gray.

From Brown TO Gray.
"You, Marta-you are still there!'
Lanstron exclaimed in alarm when he
heard her voice over the tunnel tele-
phone. but safe!" he added in re-
! lief. Thank God for that! It's a
mighty load OF my mind. And your
mother!"
Safe, too"
Well. you're through the worst OF
It. There won't be any more fighting
around the house, and certainly West
erling will DO courteous But where
is Gustave?'
"Gone!"
"Gone!" he repeated dismally.
Wait until you hear how he went. "
Marta said. With all the vividness of
her impressions, q partisan for the mo
ment Of him and Dellarme. she
sketched Feller's part with the auto
matte
AS he listened. Lanstron's spirit was
twenty again.
''I can see him." he said. 1T was 3
full breath of fresh air to the lungs
of a suffocating man. l."
Marta was on in interruption In the
full tide of an appeal.
"You muet-I promised-you must
let him have the uniform again." she
begged. "You must let him keep his
automatic. To take 1t away would
be like separating mother and child;
like separating Minna from Clarissa
Eileen"
Better than an automatic-a bat
terry of guns!" replied Lanstron. This
ia where I will use any influence l
have with Partow for all 1t is worth
Yes. and he shall have the iron cross
It is for such deeds as his that the
iron cross was meant"
Thank you," she said. It's worth
something to make a man as happy as
YOU will make him. Yes. you are real
flesh and blood to do this. Lanny."
Her point won with surprising ease,
when she had feared that military
form and law could not be circum-
vented. she leaned against the wall
In reaction. For twenty-four hours
she had been without sleep. The in
terest of her appeal for Teller had
kept UP her strength after the excite
ment Of the fight for the redoubt was
over. Now there seemed nothing left
to do.
That's fine OF you, Lanny!" she
said. You've taken 1t like a gOod
stole, this loss of your thousandth
chance. You really believed in it.
didn't your"
Forgotten already, like the many
other thousandth chances that have
failed" he replied cheerfully. "One
of the virtues Of Partow's steel au-
donations is that. being fearless as
well as passionless, they never cry
over split milk. And now" he went
on soberly, I'VE must be saying good
by"
"Good-by. Lanny? Why, what do
you mean" She was startled,
IT'LL the war is over" he said. "and
longer than that, perhaps, If La Tir
remains In Gray territory"
'YOu speak as IL you thought you
were going to lose!"
mot while many of our soldiers are
alive. IL they continue to show the
spirit that they have shown so far;
not unless two men can crush one
man In the automatic gun-recoil age.
But La Tir is in tangent and already
In the Grays' possession, while we act
on the defensive. So l should hardly
be flying over your garden again"
But there's the telephone. Lanny,
and here we are talking over 1t this
very minute!" she expostulated.
"You must remove It," he said. IF
the Grays should discover 1t they
might form suspicion that would put
you In an unpleasant position"
The telephone had become almost
familiar institution in her thoughts.
It's secret had something Of the fasci-
nation for her Of magic.
Nonsense!" she exclaimed. Il am
going to be very lonely. ] want 70
learn how Feller 10 doing-I want to
chat with you. So decide not to let
1t be taken out. And, you see, have
the tactical situation, as you soldiers
call 1t, all in my favor. The work
OF removal must be done at my end
OF the line. You're quite helpless to
enforce your wishes. And, Lanny, IL
l ring the bell you'll answer. won't
your"
Il couldn't help it," he replied.
Until then! You've been fine about
everything today!"
Until thenr"
When Marta left tho tower che knew
only that she was weary with the
mind-weariness. the body-weariness.