Marble Hill press., 1918-05-02

Z
be said. The committee likes prompt
ness"
They left together. the one stridlng
out with long steps that wer sur
priSingly light for his size. the other
hanging back tribe. as one who walks
because he must. old Adclbcrt. who
had loved his king better than his
country. was a tagging patriot" that
night. Ills breath came short and
laborcd. His throat was dry. As they
passed the opera. however. be threw
his head NJ. The performance was
over. but the gr'at house was still
lighted. and In the foyer. struttins
about. was his successor. Old Adcl.
bert qu!ckeacd his steps.
At the edge 81 the place. near the
statue ~ the queen, they tcuk car,
and 80 reached the borders of the city.
After that they walked faF. The scent
VI the earth. fresh turned by the
plough. was IN their nostrllS. Cattle.
turned out after the long wiutcr,
srnzcl or lay In the fields Through
the ooTe of the road the two ploddcd F:
I'D Adelbert struggling through with
difficulty. the concierge c1horting him
impatiently 10 haste.
At last the leader paused, and sur.
veycd his surroundings: -llcre ]
must cover your eyes. comrnde." he
said. 1T is n founalIty all must com
ply with"
Old Adelbert drew back. Il do not
Ike your rule. am not rs other men.
must see where 60"
Il shall lead you carefully. And. II
you fear. can carry YOU lie
chuckled at the thought. But old Adcl.
bert knew well that he could do IL,
knew that he was as n child 20 those
mighty arms. lie submitted TO the
baniagc. however. with an I'll grace
that caused the concierge TO smile.
1T hurts your dignity, eh, old
rooster!' he said jovially. Others, Of
greater dignity. have felt the same.
But all submit In the end"
He plloted the veteran among the
graves with the case OF familiarity.
only once he spoke. "Know you where
you arei"
in q field" said Adelbert, recently
ploughed."
AYE. In n field. right enough. Bu,
one which sows corruption, aud raises
nothing. until perhaps great ST. Ga.
briel calls In his crop"
Then. realizing the meaning OF the
mounds over which he trod. old Adel.
bert crossed himself.
Only a handful know Of this meet.
ing place." boasted the concierge. Il,
and a few others. Only we may meet
with the committee face TO face"
you must have great influence" OBJ
served old Adelbert tlmidly.
II control the guilds. He who today
can sway labor TO his viii Is power
full; very powerful, comrade. Labor
is the great beast which tires Of ear.
ryIng burdens, and is but now learning
Its strength"
AYE" said old Adelbert. Had
been wise, | would have Joined n guild.
Then / might have kept my place at
the opera. AS 1t Is. / stood alone. and
they put me out"
"You do not stand alone now. Stand
by us, and we will support you. The
republic will not forget its friends"
Thus heartened, old Adelbert bright
ened up somewhat. Why should he. an
old soldier. sweat at the thought Of
blood? Great changes required heroic
measures. II was because he was old
that he feared change. He stumped
through the passageway without urg.
ing. and stood erect and with shoulders
squared while the bandage was re-
moved.
He was rather longer than Olga
Loschek had been In comprehendlng
his surroundings. His old eyes Mt first
saw little but the table and its candles
in their gruesome holders. But when
he saw the committee his heart failed.
Here. embodied before him. was every
thing he had loathed during all his
upright and loyal years-anarchy,
murder, treason. His face worked.
The cords In his neck stood oat like
strings drawn to the breaking point.
The concierge was speaking. For
all his boasting. he was Ill at ease.
His voice had lost Its bravado. and
had taken on a fawning note.
"This Is the man Of whom word was
sent to the committee" he said. Il
ventured to ask that he be allowed
to come here. because he brings In
formation Of value"