Evening star., 1938-04-10


the Brigade that was to buy him back
his capitol - and his place in the sun.
Lathrop turned again to Josephine.
mo more words" he said quietly
Whatever happens. you dear damned
fool. I'm your man."
She kissed his cheek. Thank you,
Lathrop. You're dear to me too"
The lights of their cars flashed on
suddenly and lashed out at the dark
ness of the mountains above Pres
emily there was moon radiance, but
no moon The silver of it lay on the
corded mists that wove their skeins
upward through the steep passes 1t
was after nine when the cortege echoed
through the one street of Muncaszy.
The town was dark with early sleep,
but as they crossed the stone Bridge of
the Saroli's and started up the castle
approach they saw lights ahead of
them, half a dozen yellow points of
light punched into the sky above the
rim of the mountain. Muncaszy Schloss,
lighted for their arrival At the gates,
the cortege stopped and hung on the
steep road by its brakes while Captain
Dommelier got down and identified
himself He came back with civilian,
an old man with high cheek bones and
a white beard.
Madame oWns Muncaszy?" Dom
melier's eyes were wide with respect.
This man has instructions from
Uettehove ct Gle in Paris to have
everything in readiness for you"
YES. wired, two days ago."
Josephine said. She got out, her legs
stiff beneath her. Lathrop got out.
The old man with the beard said, 1T
is many years since the American
with-the-Laughter came here You
are his daughter. Madame?"
"His grand daughter
1.-The years fly on swift wings" he
said. "He reposes with his fathers?"
Yes"
God rest his soul" The old man
bent his head For he was kind to our
people"
They walked through the outer
court, under echoing walls that picked
up the hollow sound of their footballs
and volleyed them back from the bat
Elements above There was fire in the
great hall. roaring holocaust that
blazed noisily in fifteen-foot fireplace
bitten into the heart of the thick walls
of the keep. The rose light of it washed
the stone floor and the oaken quoins
above and gave them dancing life.
They had supper before the fire.
Lathrop and Josephine. while Dom
melier saw to the billeting of the
escort They were tired with the ride
and desperately sleepy with the thin
air of the mountains and the days
ghastliness. And for the first time in
their lives, they were strangers. Pres
entity the old steward with the beard
came into them as they sat with their
cigarettes and their coffee He had
candles in bronze candelabra. in each
hand and he showed them to their
chambers.
Josephine stood at her windows,
staring downward into three thousand
feet of mountain darkness with
sense of utter unreality upon her for
moment. The day that had passed and
all that it had held for her was part
of her fatigue, and that now was so
deep that it was impersonal.
Then through the impersonalness of
it there was one clear thought. 1t
struck at her like blade. You hare
caused it. You have come thousands
of miles to cause men to die. Now -
they are dying for you. He is dying!
Whatever their goals were or their
ambitions or their political hopes,
chance has made them focus on you
until you and your life are the one
concentration point of all their ac-
tions. The woman, Wayne. Kill the
woman, Wayne! She raised her hand
to her face and pressed her cold finger
tips into her cheeks Chance - but it