The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-01-15


Turcas's dry voice. coming from -
tween narrow opening Of the thin
lips. gave his reasons with a rapid
firer's precision In answer to he
chiefs inquiries.
With each order somewhere along
that frontier some unit OF n great or
ganism would respond. The reserves
from this position would be trans
ferred 10 that: such position would
be felt out before dark by a reconnois-
sance In force. however costly: the
rapidfrers OF the 18th Division would
S7th Brigade's losses. IL would still
form the advance: General So-and-So
would be superseded after his failure
OF yesterday; Colonel So-and.So would
take his place as acting majorgeneral:
more care must be exercised In recon-
mendations for bronze crosses. lest
their value so depreciate that officers
and men would lack incentive to win
them.
Marta was having n look behind the
scenes at the fountainhead OF great
events. Power! power! The abeo-
lutte power OF the soldier In the saddle.
with premier and government and all
| the institutions OF peace only a dim
background for the processes of war!
Opposite her was man who could
make and unmake not only generals
but even the destinies OF peoples. by
every sign he enjoyed his power for
It's own sake, There must be chief
OF the five millions. which were as a
moving forest OF destruction. and here
was the chief. his strength reflected
I'm the strong muscles OF his short
neck as he turned his head To listen
TO Turcas. Marta recalled the con-
trast between Westerling and Lam
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 invincibility of the
slighter figure OF the younger man.
He had taken up n paper thought
fully after Turcas withdrew. when he
looked up to Marta In answer to
movement In her chair. She had bent
| forward in pose that freed her figure
from the chairback In an outline OF
| suppleness and firmness; her lips were
| parted. showing faint line OF tho
white OF her teeth. and he caught her
gazing at him in n kind OF wondering
admiration. But she dropped her eye
lids instantly and said deliberately.
less to him than To herself:
You have the gift!"
No tea.table fattery that. he knew:
only the reflection Of IA fact whose ex-
istence had been borne In on her by
observation.
"The giftY How7" he inquired.
speaking to the fringe OF hair that
half hid her lowered face.
She looked up, smiling brightly.
"You don't know what gift! Not
the pianist's! Not the poets! Why.
OF course, the supreme gift OF COM
mand! The thing that made you chief
OF stan! And the war goes well for
you, doesn't it2"
Delicious morsel. thie. TO n connois.
seur In compliments He tasted Il
with the same self-satisHed smile that
he had her frst prophecy. To her
who had then voiced n secret he had
shared with no one. az his chest
swelled with full breath. he barred
another In the delight OF the impress
sion he had made on her.
"Yes. as you foresaw-as ! plannedl"
he said. "Yes, planned all. step by
step. till was chief OF stan and ready.
! convinced the premier that II was
time to strike and chose the hour TO
strike: for Bodlapoo was only con.
venient excuse for the last of all the
steps"
CTo BE CoNTINUED)