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

TurcaSs dry voice, coming rom be-
tween a narrow opening of t." thin
lips, gave his reasons with ramd
nrers precision IN answer to MS
chiefs Inquiries.
With each order somewhere along
that frontier some unit of great or
gauism would respond. The reserves
from this position would be trans
ferred to that; such a position would
be felt out before dark by reconnols-
sanCe in force, however costly; the
rapid-firers Of the 18th Division would
be transferred to the Goth; despite the
37th Brigade's losses, it would sun
form the advance; General So-and-So
would be superseded after his failure
Of yesterday; Colonel So-and-So "ouih
take his place as acting major-generai'
more care must be exercised in recon-
mendations for bronze crosses, lest
their value so depreciate that olhcers
and men would lack incentive to win
| them.
Marta was having look behind the
scenes at the fountainhead or great
events. Power! power. The ALSO
lutte power of the soldier In the saddle
with premier and government and all
/ the institutions Of peace only dim
! background for the processes Oh Wal
! Opposite her was a man VINO couiu
make and unmake not only generals
but even the deStinieS Of peoples. By
every sign he enjoyed his power LOT
its own sake. There must be a chlef
Of the five millions, which were as a
moving forest Of destruction, and mere
was the chief, his strength reflected
in the strong muscles OF his snort
neck as he turned his head to listen
to Turcas. Marta recalled the con-
trast between Westerling and Ian
stron as they faced each other after
the wreck Of the aeroplane ten years
ago; the iron invincibility OF the
elders sturdy, mature figure and the
alert, high-strung invinciblity OF the
slighter figure of the younger man.
He had taken up paper Thought
fully after Turcas withdrew, when ne
looked up to Marta in answer to
movement in her chair. She had benz
forward in pose that freed her figure
from the chair-back in an outline o.
suppleness and firmness; her lips were
parted, showing a faint line of thu
white OF her teeth, and he caught he
, gazing at him in a kind Of wondering
, admiration. But she dropped her eye
I lids instantly and said deliberately
!, less to him than to herself:
r You have the gift"
r No tea-table fattery that, he knew
| only the reflection of fact whose eX
t istence had been borne in on her b.
: observation.
THE gift? How" he inquired
speaking to the fringe Of hair tina
y half hid her lowered face.
J. She looked up, smiling brightly.
you don't know what gift! Nc
f the pianists! Not the poets! VIII!
e Of course, the supreme gift Of con
a mand! The thing that made you chic
!. of staff! And the war goes we'll fc
6 you, doesn't it,"
e Delicious morsel, this, to a connoi
l. seur in compliments! He tasted
with the same self-satisfed smile tn:
8 he had her first prophecy. To hf
It who had then voiced a secret he ia
e shared with no one. as his ches
o swelled with full breath, he bare
e another in the delight Of the impre
st sion he had made on her.
Yes, as you foresaw-as planned
E. he said. Yes, planned all, step
e step, till was chief of staff and read
ID convinced the premier that it VIZ
Is time to strike and chose the hour
:? strike; for Bodlapoo was only a CO
ID yenient excuse for the last Of all II
steps"