Evening star., 1942-07-18

And 1t. Prackle said, Col. Lam
ser, we have found some men with
dynamite"
And Lanser said, Hush"
Orden continued. IF you think
that by killing men you can pre-
vent some one from censuring your
evil lives, you are mistaken. He
frowned and thought and he looked
at the ceiling, and he smiled en-
barrassedly and he said, That's
all can remember. 1t Is gone
away from me-"
And DR.. Winter said, Its very
good after 46 years, and you weren't
very good at it 46 years ago"
1t. Prackle broke in, The men
have dynamite, Col. Lanser."
Did you arrest them?"
Yes, sir. Capt. Loft and"
Lanser said, Tell Capt. Loft to
guard them" He recaptured him
self and he advanced into the room
and he said, "Orden, these things
must stop"
And the Mayor smiled helplessly
at him. They cannot stop. sir"
Col. Lanser said harshly, Il ar
rested you as a hostage for the good
behavior of your people. Those are
my orders. -
But that won't stop it," Orden
said simply. You don't understand.
When have become hindrance to
the people, they will do without me-"
Lanser Seeks Opinion.
Lanser said, Tell me truly what
you think If the people know you
will be shot if they light another
fuse, what will they do?"
The Mayor looked helplessly at
DR.. Winter.
And then the bedroom door opened
and madame came out, carrying the
Mayors chain of Office in her hand.
She said, You forgot this"
Orden said, What? Oh, yes" and
he stopped his head and madame
slipped the chain of Office over his
head, and he said, Thank you. dear"
Madame complained, you always
forget it. You forget it all the
time"
The Mayor looked at the end of
the chain he held in his hand-the
gold medallion with the insignia of
his Office carved on it.
Lanser pressed him. What will
they do?"
II don't know" said the Mayor.
II think they will light the fuse"
Suppose you ask them not to?"
Winter said, Colonel, this morn
ing I saw little boy building a
snowman, while three grown soldiers
watched to see that he did not Carl
cature your leader. He made pretty
good likeness, too, before they de-
stroyed it,"
Lanser ignored the doctor. Sup
pose you ask them not to?" he
Orden seemed half asleep; his eyes
were dropped, and he tried to think
He said, IT am not very brave man,
sir. I think they will light it, any,
way" He struggled with his speech.
81 hope they will, but if ] ask them
not to, they will be sorry"
Madame said, What is this all
about?"
BE quiet a moment, DEAR" the
Mayor said.
But you think they will light it?"
Lanser insisted.
"They will Fight"
The Mayor spoke proudly. Eyes,
they will light it. / have no choice
of living or dying, you see, sir. but
Il do have a choice of how I do it.
If / tell them not to fight, they will
be sorry, but they will fight, II I
tell them to fight, they will be glad,
and I who am not very brave man
will have made them little braver."
He smiled apologetically. you see,
it is an easy thing to do, since the
end for me is the same"
Lanser said, IF you say yes, we
can tell them you said no. We can
tell them you begged for your life
And Winter broke in angrily, "They
would know. You do not keep secrets.
One of your men got out of hand
one night and he said the flies had
conquered the flypaper. and now the
whole nation knows his words. They
have made song of it. The flies
have conquered the f1ypaper. You
do not keep secrets, colonel"
From the direction Of the mine a
whistle footed shrilly And q quick
gust of wind sifted dry snow against
the windows.
Orden fingered his gold medallion.
He said quietly. You see. sir, moth
ing can change it. You will be de-
stroyed and driven out" His voice
was very soft. 'The people don't
like to be conquered, sir, and so they
will not be. Free men cannot start
a war, but once it is started, they
can fight on in defeat. Herd men,
followers of leader. cannot do that,
and so it is always the herd men
who win battles and the free men
who win wars. You will find that
is so, SIR
Lanser was erect and stiff. MY