Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-17
CHAPTER xxx.-(continued.,

my heart, | know we cannot fight
not while this cloud of uncer-
tainty hangs over us. To fight,
with this power in the hands Of
Germany, would mean more than
defeat-it would mean annihila-
ton. There would be other statues
to be draped with black! -
Delcasse's face was livid; he
removed his glasses and polished
them with a shaking hand, and,
for the first time, Lepine saw his
blood shot eyes. Delcasse noticed
his glance, and laughed grimly.
"Only to you, Lepine, do | dare
to show them," he said. "Before
others, | must crush this fear in
my heart, bite it back from my
lips; | must appear unconcerned,
confident of the issue. Only to
you may l speak freely. That is
IA reason | called you here. / felt
that | must speak with some one.
Lepine, l foresee for France a
great humiliation"
Lepine looked at his companion
with real concern.
"You exaggerated he said.
"You have been brooding over it
too long"
Delcasse shook his head.
II do not exaggerate. This
thing is so terrible that it cannot
be exaggerated. Even at this mo-
ment, Germany is preparing the
blow. For the past week, she has
been extraordinarily active. Her
fleets have coaled hurriedly and
put out to see-for maneuvers, it
is said; but this is not the season
for maneuvers. Her shipyards
have been cleared of all civilians,
and a Gordon of troops posted
about each one. The garrison of
every fortress along the frontier
has been at least doubled, and the
most rigid patrol established. The
police regulations are being en-
forced with the greatest severity.
Every city of the frontier swarms
with spies; even here in Paris we
are not safe from them-my desk
was rifled two nights ago. 1 live
in dread that any day, any hour,
may bring the news of some fresh
disaster!"
"And do our men learn moth
ingY"
Nothing! Nothing! All they
can tell me is that something is
preparing, some blow, some sur-
prise. Whatever the secret, it is
well kept; so we'll that it can be.
known only to the emperor and
one or two Of his ministers. We
have tried every means, we have
exhausted every resource, all in
vain. We know, in part, what is
being done; of the purpose back
IF it we know nothing. But we
ran guess--the purpose is war; it
can be nothing else!"
Lepine sat silent and contem-
plated the rugged face opposite
him--the face which told by it's
lined forehead, its worried eyes,
it's savage mouth, of the strug-
giles, rebuffs and disappointments
of 80 years. Always, out Of dis
aster, this man had risen neon
quered. Upon his shoulders low
was placed the whole Of this ter
rifle burden. He alone, Of the
cabinet, was fit to bear it; beside
him, the others were mere pig
mics: Premier Caillaux, an anna
bic financier; Foreign Minister de
Selves, a charming amateur Of the
fine arts; War Minister Messimy,
an obscure army officer with a
love for uniforms; Minister of
Commerce Couyba, a minor poet,
tainted with dccadence-above all
these, Delcasse doomed as a Guilt
e among Lilliputians. But great
ness has its penalties. While the
minister Of foreign affairs spent
his days in collecting plaques, and
the minister Of war his in strutting
about the boulevards, and the min
lister of commerce his in composing
verses, Delcasse labored to save his
country-labored as a colossus la
bors, sweating, painting, throwing
every fibre Of his being into the
ystrnggle-which was all the more
trying, all the more terrific, be,
cause he felt that it must go
against him!
What would you suggest, Lee
pine Delcasse asked, at last. Is
there any source of information
which you can tryi"
Lepine shook his head doubt
fully.
is not q question of ex-
pense, Delcasse went ON, rapidly.
Amillion france would not be