The Washington times., 1921-01-09
(Contlnasd from Preceding Pd0e)


lips he sped the car toward Frei-
burg and Berne through the rush
ing night. anxious to return before
the betraying dawn.
II was a day OF glamour and ex-
element. In his present life. 30 re-
mote from that kind OF thinking
and, that species of activity, the day
remsins craven in Anthony's mem
DRY Us a concrete picture-a COM
posite photograph OF an old In
trigaing, medieval. Borgia like
world which, In the simplicity or
our idealism, we enlisted to extin-
guish. Whether human nature and
all hoo human ways can be thus
oblilarated is another matter. Pes.
simists say 1t is impossible, and
offer the no less impossible pre-
scrbtion that the Creator is said
to Have used In the case OF the Con-
tinaht OF Atlantis-sink the whole
boiling, simmering mass under the
meriful, merciless ocean.
1t was Thursday, the Fourth OF
July. Colonel Cole had learned
enough Of his surroundings to trust
nohody, not even the walls OF his
OXIDE. With seeming carelessness
he asked Anthony and Ray to &C
company him on little drive to
Belp, ito take the air" he said
casually. II was delicious to see
that simple-hearted cavalry officer
practice the dark ways Of intrigue!
There in that heavy khaki.tinted
limousine, with only the broad back
of his lanky chauffeur-a private
detailed from a Kansas regiment
in Franco and formerly cowboy
for the one possible eavesdropper,
Anthony, supplemented by Ray,
told his story. The colonel listened
calmly at first, like the blase old
diplomat he imagined himself to be.
He was endeavoring, with his
brown face and graying moustache,
to look like one of those monstrOus
statesmen he had read of in fiction,
whom nothing surprises, nothing
astouishes. He could not, however,
help rubbing his hands gleefully
when no got the full purport of his
"boys'" exploit.
Lets run over and see Michaud."
he muttered gruffly. But the boys
were seeing through him. He was
cracking with excitement. Got to
sec Nicnaud," he repeated; tits his
territory"
do you think he'll hog the show,
sir?" queried Ray with a note of
plaintiveness iii his voice. These
French"-
mo, no." interrupted the colonel.
"No fear. Give him hell if he tries
it. Besides-he won't try it."
Michaud was an Ally, and the
colonel said no more. But in his
heart he proudly felt that Michaud
would be glad enough to let his
young American officers bear the
brunt of the enterprise and profit
by it. The colonel felt a joyous
access Of pride in his boys.
Ought to be promoted-every
ore of en-" he thought, but on that
point he was not sanguine. "Pock-
eted us like this in the middle or
Europe"-he reflected the senti-
ment of nearly every soldier and
public servant-"forgot us--that's
what they did" "They" was a pre-
occupied, oblivious, careless G. H
@. that kept promoting between
meals the members of its own. prox.
innate, immediate staff, but forget
ting everybody else.
That day was like spell of semi
intoxication, when ones brain Is
half alert and half amused at the
odd, funny things one sees oneself
doing, when dull care lies buried
and one is laughing at the obse-
quies.
Michaud, the French military at
tache, was smoking his after-break-
fast cigar, though it was nearly
half-past ten. He was in white
duck trousers, with dark, heavy,
wooden lounge coat-for to remove
ones coat is to lose all dignity-to
be. in effect, an Americ-at least,
not a diplomat.
Have you heard what we did
yesterday at Moulin-sur-Tousvent?'
he cried, putting great clouds or
smoke. "A thousand prisoners, mes
amisy+at least thousand. Not
bad. that" And with his black
moustache he looked precisely like
Otis Skinner in THE Honor or the
Family" go,
"Michaud. come for a ride-lH
take YOU to your office" invited the
colonel suavelv. such a beautiful
day."
Michaud glanced inquiringly from
one to another of the trio.
"But-certainly! he cried. i
must first run up and embrace my
wi-change my. coat" Michaud
was always changing his coat.
Once in the car the colonel, with
supplementary inclusions and sum-
maries by Anthony and Ray, re-
lated the episode of the preceding
night-with all it's details-except-
ing only the source of the informa'
tion. That the colonel had left del
icately to Anthony, and Anthony
forebore to mention 1t.
.,,,, .np,ouhat cIIIlpn a