Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-02-25


"You Have Been Hurt" He z,
claimed.
ler's place. There could be no choic
Of sides In war unless you believed II
war. One who fought for peace mus
take up arms against all armies. He
part as q spy appeared to her clad II
new kind Of shame; the desertion o.
her principles.
Nor did the officers observe man o.
thirty-fve, wearing the cords Of the
stan and q generals stars, coming
around the corner OF the house. Mar
ta's feverish. rowing glance had noted
him directly he was In sight. His face
seemed to be In keeping with the
other faces, In the ardor of hunt I'M
finished; hand In blouse pocket, his
bearing little too easy to be conven-
tionally military-the same Lanny.
She was dimly conscious Of surprise
not to find him changed, perhaps be-
cause he was unaccompanied by re-
tinue or any other symbol Of his power.
He might have been coming to call on
Sunday afternoon. In that first
glimpse 1t was difficult to think Of
him as the commander Of an army. But
that he was, she must not forget. She
was shaken and trembling; and q
mist rose before her, SO that she did
not see him clearly when, with ges-
"a - L..
"Lanstron!" exclaimed an officer in
the first explosive breath Of amaze
ment ON recognizing him; then added:
His Excellency, the chief Of start"
But the one word, Lanstron, had
been enough to thrill all the officers
into silence and ramrod salutes. Marta
noted the Difference of their glances as
they covertly looked him over.
Il wanted a glimpse Of the front as
well as the rear" Lanstron remarked
in explanation of his presence to the
general Of brigade as he passed on
toward Marta, who was thinking that
she, at least, was not in awe of him;
she, at least, saw clearly and truly his
part.
Marta! Marital"
Lanstron's voice was tremulous, as
il he were in awe of her, while he
drank in the fact that she was there
before him at arms length, safe, alive.
She did not offer her hand in greeting.
She was incapable of any movement.
such was her emotion; and he. too,
was held in spell, as the reality of
her, after all that had passed, filled
his eyes. He waited for her to speak,
but she was silent.
"Marta-that bandage! You have
been hurt!" he exclaimed.
Its the fashion to be wounded" she |
said, eyebrows lifted and lashes low
cred, with nervous smile. Il played |
Florence Nightingale, the natural wom-
ans part, believe. We should never
protest; only nurse the victims Of war.
After helping to send men to death
went under fire myself, and-and that
helped"
"Yes, that would help" he agreed,
wincing as from a knife thrust.
Her old taunt: sending men to death
md taking no risk himself! She cav
hat he WINGED; she realized that she
lad stayed words that were about to
,ome in a food. She was marshaling
Ter thoughts to begin when the brittle
Iilence was broken by q rumbling Of
roices, stirring Of feet, and q cheer.
'Lanstron! Lanstron! Hurrah for
The soldiers In the garden did not
'other with any "Your Excellency, the
hief Of star" formula when word had
'een passed Of his presence. Marta
ooked around to see their tempestu-
us enthusiasm as they tossed their
aps in the air and sent up their spon-
Aneous tribute from the depths Of
heir lungs. ConQueror and hero to
he living. but the dead could not
peak, whispered some fiend in her I
leart.
Lanstron uncovered TO the demon /
tration impulslvely, when the conven- ,
lonal military acknowledgment would /
ave been a salute. He always looked !
1ore like the real Lanny to her with /
is forehead bare Il completed the /
Of his sensitive features. She :
aw that he was blinking almost boy 4
shly at the compliment and noted the
title deprecatory shake Of his head. q
8 much as to say that they were /
laking q mistake, y