The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-03-12


on the pass road was moving toward
the rear. Impelled by a new appre-
hension she hurried to the tunnel.
Lanstron answered her promptly In q
voice that had ring Of relief and Joy
in place Of the tension that had char
acterized it since the outbreak of the
war.
Thanks to you, Marital" he cried.
Everything goes back to you-thanks
to you came this chance to attack, and
we are succeeding at every point! You
are the general, you the maker of VIC
toriesi"
Eyes, the general of still more kill
ing!" she cried in Indignation. 'Why
have you gone on with the slaughter?
I did not help you for this. Why?"
No reply came. She poured out
more questions, and still no reply. She
pressed the button and tried again. but
she might as we'll have been talking
over dead wire.
~
One man alone against the tide
rise at his orders now finding all its
sweep against Misunderstanding accus-
toned to have millions OF men move
at his command, found himself, one
man out of the millions, still and help
less while they moved of their own i'm
pulses.
AS news of positions lost came in,
he could only grimly repeat, Hold!
Tell them to hold!" fruitlessly, like ad-
jurations to the wind to cease blowing.
The bell of the long distance kept
ringing unheeded, until at last his aide
came to say that the premier must
speak either to him or to the vice.
chief. Westerling staggered to his
feet and with lurching steps went into
the closet. There he sank down on the
chair in a heap, staring at the tele-
phone mouthpiece. Again the bell rang.
Clenching his hands in rocking eff
fort, he was able to stiffen his spine
once more as he took down the re-
ceiver. To admit defeat to the pre-
mier-no, he was not ready for that
yet.
"The truth is Quit" said the premier
without any break in his voice and
with the fatalism of one who never
allows himself to blink fact. "Teleg-
raphers at the front who got out Of
touch with the staff were still in toucA
with the capital. Once the reports be.
gan to come, they poured in-decima-
ton of the attacking column, panic
and retreat in other portions Of the
line-chaos!"
TITS a lie!" Westerling declared
vehemently.
"The news has reached the press"
the premier proceeded. Editions are
already in the streets"
What! Where is your censorship"
gasped Westerling.
"It is helpless, a straw protesting
against a current" the premier re-
piled. "A censorship goes back to
physical force, as every law does In
the end-to the police and the army;
and all, these days, finally to public
opinion. After weeks of secrecy. Of re-
ported successes, when nobody really
knew what was happening, this sudden
disillusioning announcement of the
truth has sent the public mad"
1T is your business to control the
public!" complained Westerling.
with what, now? With speech or
lullaby? AS we'll could you stop the
retreat with your naked hands. MY
business to control the public, yes, but
not unless you win victories. l gave
you the soldiers. We have nothing but
police here, and / tell you that the pub
lie is in a mob rage-the whole public,
bankers and business and professional
men included. 1 have just ordered the
stock exchange and all banks closed"
There's a cure for mobs!" cried
Westerling. "Let the police fire a, few
volleys and they'll behave"
would that stop the retreat of the
army? We must sue for peace"
"Sue for peace! Sue for peace when
we have FIVE millions against their
three!"
eft seems so, as the three millions
are winning!" said the premier.
"Sue for peace because women go
historical? Do you suppose that the
Browns will listen now when they
think they have the advantage? Leave
peace to me! Give me forty-eight hours
more! I have told our troops to hold
and they will hold. I don't mistake
cowardly telegraphers' rumors for
facts"
Pardon me moment" the premier
interrupted. 81 must answer local
CALL" So astute man OF affairs as
he knew that Westerling's voice, storm
ing. breaking, tightening with effort at
control, confirmed all reports OF dis
aster. GIN fact, the crockery is broken
for you and for mel" said the pre-
mier when he spoke again. His life
had been a gamble and the gamble had
turned against him in playing for a
great prize. There was an admirable
stoicism in the way he announced the
news he had received from the local
call: 1.-THE chief of police calls me up
to say that the uprising is too vast for
II