Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-03-12

appearance and stranger departure.
They began to talk of him, and Marta
listened.
He said something about being a
free man nowi"
Yes, he looked as eager as ter
rier after rats"
HE knows what he is doing. He
sees so far ahead of what we are
thinking that it's useless to guess his
object. Well understand when it's
DONE"
How little side he hasl So per-
fectly simple. He hardly seems to
realize the immensely of his success.
In fact, none of us realizes 1t; it's too
enormous, overwhelming, sudden!"
And no nerves!"
OF course, they guessed nothing of
Marta's part in his success. The very
things they were saying about him
built up a figure of the type whose
character she had keenly resented a
few minutes before.
But, Miss Galland, you seem to
know him far better than we. This is
not news to you," remarked the bri-
gade commander
Eyes, saw the accident of his first
flight when his hand was injured" she
said, and WINGED with horror. Never
had the picture of him as he rose from
the wreck appeared so distinct She
could see every detail Of his looks;
feel his twinges of pain while he
smiled. Was the revelation the more
vivid because it had once occurred
to her since the war began? 1t shut
out the presence of the officers; she
no longer heard what they were say
ing. Black fear was enveloping her
Vaguely she understood that they
were looking away at something. She
heard the roar of artillery not far dis
tant and following their gaze toward
the knoll where Dellarme's men had
received their baptism Of fire, now un-
der canopy of shrapnel smoke.
That's about their last stand in the
tangent, their last snarl on our SOIL"
remarked the brigade commander.
And we're raining shells on it,"
said his aide. with our glasses we'll
be able to watch the infantry go in"
Eyes, very we'll"
Were all used to how it feels, now
we'll see how it looks at distance"
piped one Of the soldiers.
Not until he had shouted to them
did they notice a division staff-officer
who had come up from the road. He
had piece of astounding news to i'm
part before he mentioned official bust
ness.
What do you think Of this?" he
cried. Nothing could stop him! Lam
stron-yes, Lanstron has gone into
that charge with the African Braves!"
"Why?" Marta heard the officers
around her asking after their excla.
nations of amazement at the news
that Lanstron was going in the
charge. why should the chief Of staff
risk his life in this fashion,"
Marta knew. All her taunts about
sending others to death from his office
chair, uttered as the fugitive sarcasm
of mood, recurred.in the merciless
hammerbeat of recollection. For q
moment she was aghast, speeches.
Then the officers, occupied with the
startling news, heard voice
wrenched from dry throat In an
guish, saying:
"The telephone! Try to reach him!
Tell him he must not!"
1--WE can hardly say must not to 6
chief of staff" said the general auto
matically.
"Tell him 1 ask him not to! Try
to reach him-try-you can try!"
"Yes. yes! Certainly" exclaimed
the general, turning to the telephone
operator.
He had seen now what the younger
men had seen at a glance. They were
recalling Lanstron's relief at seeing
her; how he had passed them by t
speak to her; the intensity of the two
in their almost wordless meeting
Her bloodless lips, the imploring pas
sion in her eyes, her quivering impa
tience told the rest
Division headquarters" called tn,
operator. They're getting brigad,
headquarters" he added while h,
waited in silence. Brigade headquar
tiers says the Braves have no WIRE tt
too late. The charge is starting"
80 it Isl" cried one of the subal
terms. Look! Look"
Marta looked toward the risinj
ground this side of the knoll in tim,
to see bayonets flash In the wanin,
afternoon sunlight and disappear a
they descended the slope.
There! They're up on the othe
slope without stopping" exclaime,
the general. Quick! Don't you wan
to see?" He offered his glasses t,
Marta.
mo, can see we'll enough" sh
murmured, though the landscape wa
moving before her eyes in gidd
waves.
"The madness of IT. The Who'll
slope is peppered with the fallen!"