The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-04-23
"If Jennison goes he'll take the girl

terness filled his heart, yet he had no
words for such an appalling c%atastro-
pho. Marsh looked at his detected
therly, sympathy.
"Benedict's q genius-in his peculiar
STYLE" he said. II pity the man that
gets in his way"
He took out his po%cketknife, went to
the bar Of light that came from the
port hole and began to work industr1-
ously on his nails, whistling the ghost
of a tune with his queer %sibilation.
To the distracted Brill it seemed
his hands Of the whole affair. OF
course he could not blame Marsh. Why
should he entangle himself in all sorts
of unpleasant results for the love at
fair Of another mans heart? And
yet
He could endure this Irritating inac-
ton no longer and jumped to his feet.
His hand was already on the door
knob when his stout companion cried:
"Where are you off to-"
81 must do something was the ex-
cited reply. II must fight against
this
eight? OF course exclaimed Marsh
energetically. "And I'll fight too. But
I'm too old to fight without fortifica-
tons and ammunition and all modern
improvements. Wait till we get in
the game and deal ourselves a hand
worth playing. My metaphors may be
mixed, but my sense isn't. They'll
have to wait till the sea goes down,
and even then they can't snap tons OF
| gold from one deck to the other by
aips of the finger nail"
Brill released the doorknob. Truly
there was sense in the calmer logic.
Yet he could not refrain from pacing
the cabin ~impetuously. Time, so pre-
cioas and SO scant, was wasting with
every moments delay.
"First of ALL" said Marsh, "don't get
nervous. The seas on u side now.
When it goes down there'l be only
you and land Stebbins. We mustn't
forget Stebbins."
He walked over to Brill and put n
hand affectionately on his shoulder.
Lets sit down calmly" he contin-
ued, land with your enthusiasm and
my discretion draw up a plan Of bat
tie. We've got to fight and fight hard,
but that's no reason why we should
get excited over it before excitement
counts for points. That's rather a neat
tool your friend Stebbins has made,
isn't it,"
But for the lover, with heart af1ame,
there was little interest in the wretch
ed bit of twisted wire Marsh had
picked up from the floor.
Their deliberations, which Marsh
board Of strategy" talk, extended over
half the following hour. To carry out
the military conceit the stout captain
general spread out a large sheet of
brown wrapping paper that had been
around the books loaned to Stebbins by
the chief engineer and designated it as
his war map. On this he made strange
and very black hieroglyphics with a
stub of a soft lead pencil. These out
landish marks, being interpreted to
Brill. We're the points they decided es-
scntial to their plan of campaign.
The younger man realized the fer
tility of his friends invention and
owned that the plans We're distinguish
ed by great common sense. But the
policy outlined seemed too Fabian for
his fiery ardor. Cavalry charges were
more to his taste than mining and
sapping. a lovely lady was to be won,
and had not heroes of romance ever
been impetuous?
Look here, Overflow" responded
Marsh to one of his outbursts Of ener-
gy, IF We accomplish anything it will
be by brains, not muscle"
Toward the end of the var council
Aristides Stebbins appeared on the
scene, his face smeared with oily CRIME
and his right hand clutching a piece of
steel that rescmbled a dwarfed crow
bar. Marsh gazed at this disreputable
looking figure with keen amusement.
Hardly do to have him so on our
errand looking like that" he remarked
to Brill. Then to Stebbins, "Mr. Over
ton has a commission for you when
| you remove your makeup"
Jay lost no time in arranging for his
additions in the next room, whence in
a few moments came sounds sugges-
tive of a grampus in his native ele-
mcnt.
Marsh's words to Aristides recalled
to Brill one important point Of their
discussion.
"You still believe I should tell Miss
Jennison what we suspect?' he asked
earnestly.
absolutely essential. We must have
a friend in the enemy's camp"
but she may not believe me-"
The commercial mans round face
expanded with a very wide and very
significant smile, a smile so comprehen-
| sive and so suggestive that Brill flush
ed warmly. Still he protested, but
moro eebly