Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-02-19

ders and the head bare, doomed out of
the mist.
81 couldn't stay in-not tonight"
Marta said as Westerling drew near.
Il had to see. It's only a quarter of
an hour now, isn't it?"
She seemed so utterly frail and
distraught that Westerling, in an i'm
pulse of protection, laid his hand on
her relaxed shoulders.
"Our cause is at stake tonight" he
declared, yours and mine! We must
win, you and 1! 1t is our destiny!"
you and II" repeated Marta. why
you and II"
1t seemed very strange to be think
ing Of any two persons when hundreds
Of thousands were awaiting the signal
for the death prepared by him. He
mistook the character Of her thought
in the obsession of his egoism.
What do lives mean?" he cried with
sudden desperation, his grip of her
shoulders tightening. 1T is the law
of nature for man to fight. Unless he
| fights he goes to seed. One trouble
with our army is that it was soft from
the want of war. 1t is the law of ma
ture for The fittest to survive! Other
sons will be born to take the place of
those who die tonight. There will be
all the more room for those who live.
Victory will create new opportunities.
What is million out of the billions
| thn ~ ho arth h0
lead alone count-those who dwell in
the atmosphere of the peaks, as we
dol" The pressure of his strong hands
in the unconscious emphasis Of his
passion became painful; but she did
not protest or try to draw away, think
ing of his hold in no personal sense
but as a part of his self-revelation. "All
all Is at stake there!" he continued,
staring toward the range. tits the
Rubicon! l have put my career on to-
nights cast!. Victory means that the
world will be at our feet-honor, po-
sition, power greater than that of any
other two human beings! Do you
realize what that means-the honor
and the power that will be ours?
shall have directed the greatest army
the world has ever known to victory!"
And defeat means-what does de-
feat mean?" she asked narrowly, calm
ly; and the pointed question released
her shoulders from the wise.
What had been shadow in his
thoughts became live monster, strik-
ing him with the force of a blow He
forgot Marta. Yes, what would de-
feat mean to him? Sheer human ma
ture broke through the bonds of men
tai discipline weakened by sleepless
nights. Convulsively his head dropped
as he covered his face.
Defeat! Fail! That should fail!'
he moaned
Then it was that she saw him in the
reality of his littleness, which she had
OWNED; this would-be conqueror. She
saw him as his intimates often see the
great man without his front of Jove
Don't we know that Napoleon had mo
ments of privacy when he whined and
, threatened suicide? She wondered il
, Lanny, too, were like that-if it were
not the nature of all conquerors who
could not have their way. 1t seemed
, to her that Westerling was beneath
, the humblest private in his army-be
: patch on his cheek who had broker
y the chandelier in the sport of bruta
, passion. All sense of her own part was
: submerged in the sight of a chief o.
staff exhibiting no more stoicism thar
| a petulant, spoiled schoolboy.
l. While his head was still bent the ar
! tillery began its crashing thunders ant
n the sky became light with flashes. Hi!
hands stretched out toward the range
I clenched and pulsing with defiance ant
command.
q go in! Go in, as I told you'll" b,
r cried. Stay In, alive or dead! Sta,
v till tell you to come out! Stay!
,. can't do any more! You must do 1
!. now!"
n Then this may be truly the end,
J. thought Marta. eff the assault fails"
And silently she prayed that it woult
q fail; while the flashes lighted Wester
hng's set features, imploring success
/"
|. In the Browns headquarters, as II
[. the Grays', telegraph instruments wer,
I silent after the preparations were over
Here, also, officers walked restlessly
r glancing at their watches. They, toe
p were glad that the mist continued. |
s meant no wind. When the TELEGRAPH
/, did speak 1t was with another messag,
, from some aerostatic officer saying
still favorable" which was taken a
Q once to Lanstron, who was with tn
d staff chiefs around the big table. The.
t. nodded at the news and smiled to on
(; another; and some who had been pac
e ing sat down and others rose to begil
s pacing afresh.
o 1--WE could have emplaced two line
,, Of automatics, one above the other!
d exclaimed the chief of artillery.
d 'But that would have given too mucl
r of climb for the infantry in going II
D delayed the rush." said Lanstron.
IF they should stick-if we couldn'
ii L. 1t. L