The Washington times., 1918-03-25

OF MS Or0er VINO nelo even inc ucdI-
est woman as the favored peRsioner
on his bounty or she would
be consumed with rennorse. melt
O.. 1T was positive that she must
visit him-not leave him to starVe
. . nor could she keep him bound
and once more she would be his
slave could she hold out even
for q. day?
The first blow of a revolution Is.
after all, only its first. There Is al
ways the danger OF q swift reaction.
Unremitting vigilance, work. en-
enlargement are the part of It's
leaders for months, possibly years. to
come All revolutions are dependent
for ultimate success upon one pre-
eminent figure.
UnconsciousIy writheS Under Gaze.
Franz stirred under the unconscious
fxity OF her gaze and changed his
position. lying on his back. She
hastily averted her eyes. Her hands
clenched and spread.
Even tomorrow IL this man found
her . one soft moment
when she needed all her energy, her
fire. her powers of concentration, OF
REORGANIZATION. for the millions OF
tortured women who would follow
her straight out to meet any division
the Emperor might detach in the vain
hope OF subduing an army far out
numbering all that he had left OF men.
Nothing but a miracle could halt
the initial stage of the revolution.
the wireless plants were all operated
by women In her service, and no tele-
phone message had advised her OF
danger.
No matter what her detection at
this moment the revolution would
begin at dawn; but although Ger
many happily lacked the disintegrat-
ing forces of Russia, comfortable as
she had been for two generations,
and proud in her discipline, that very
backbone without the stimulating
force of her own inexoyabIe will
And IL she deserted them!
1t was a woman's revolution. A
necessary number of men. Socialists
had been admitted TO the secret and
were to strike the second blow.
But the women must strike the
first. and according to program. Not
only were the men under surveil-
lance. but where women would be
pardoned in case OF a failure, they
would be shot.
And most of them had more brain
than Drawn, were past the fighting
age: the girls. and women OF middle
years. were a magnificent army which
would make the graybeards appear
absurd lin the open.
These women worshiped her, be-
lieved her to be a super-being Great
ed to save them and their children;
but IL she betrayed them. proved her
self the merest woman of them all
a chlldless woman at that-the very
bones would melt out of them, they
would PROSTATE themselves in the
ashes OF their final despair. -.--
Spain. Franz! For a moment her
Imagination rioted.
She smiled Ironically. Happiness?
FourwalIed happiness? Hardly for
her. even without the blood OF muir
dered thousands soaking her DOOR
step. Love, for women like her
even eternal love must be cpl
sodicaI
Leadership BESTOWED By Nature.
Life forces the duties of leadership
on such women whether they resent
them or not. They must take their
love where they find it as great men
do, subordinated to their chosen ca
reers and the tremendous duties and
responsibilities that are the fruit
of all achieved ambition.
1t was true that she had no
political ambition, but for an I'M
predictive period she must be the
beacon-light a the new repub-
lie. no matter how successful the !
coup of the Socialists: until some one /
man (she knew OF none) or some |
group OF men became strong enough /,
TO control its destinies.
The women must stand Arm, a solid |
critical body led by herself, until the /
tragically disciplined soldiers who !
had survived these years OF warfare |
had ceased to be sheep. or run bleat-
ing to the new fold.
Even IL she won Franz over. her
power would be slapped: not for a |
would he be out of her con-
drift necessarily from the vital work |
in hand to the hour OF their re-
union. The hurtling power of her /
eloquence would be diminished. her
weakened.
Her memory flashed backward to
those three years when he was an
ever-rIsing obsession-personify
love and completion as he dld-be-
fore which her proud will fell back
again and again, powerless and hu-
inflated.
w ny IN Nol hoG iC
have come back into her life six
hence?
Nature 4 subtle Force.
No woman should risk sex cata-
clysm when she has great work to
do. NatureN is too subtle for any
will as long as the man be
accessible. And the strongest and
the proudest woman that ever lived
may have her life disorganized by
man IL she possess the power to
charm him.
She moved softly from the couch
and walked up and down the room.
striving to visualize her manifest
destiny and erect the grim ideal OF
duty.
Her mind. working at lightning !,
speed, recalled moments, days, in the
past, when she had let her will relax.
ignored her duties. fioated idly with
he tide: the sensation OF panic witt
which she had recaptured at bound
he ideals that governed her life.
Mortal happiness was not for her.
Duty done. with or without eNalta-
ion Of spirit, would at least keep her
n tune with life. preserve her from
hat disintegrating horror Of soul
hat could end only with self-annl-
lllation.
And end her usefulness. 1t was
'icious circle.
Suddenly a wave OF humiliation. or
shame. swept her from "
'ole to crown, and she returned swift i
y IN her most above the sieeDing man. !