Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9.
YOUNG CITY SALESMAN TAKES EMPLOYER’S
MONEY AND LEAVES WIFE AND CHILD AID GOES
HAY FRI AUGUSTA ITH ANOTHER’S WIFE
Jno. C. Cherry, Salesman For Mr. Fred Gehrken, Sends
Employer Note Admitting He Had Taken Several Hundred
Dollars
YOUNG MARRIED WOMAN DISAPPEARS
AND BELIEVED THEY ARE TOGETHER
Cherry Was Highly Regarded by His Employer---Came Here
Several Years Ago From Na shville, Ga.
John C. Cherry, city salesman for Mr.
Fred Gehrken at Fourth and Greene
streets, has disappeared with several
hundred dollars of his employer’s mon
ey. Simultaneous with Cherry’s dis
appearance comes the report of the dis
appearance of a young married woman
17 years of age with whom it is under
stood that he was infatuated. Cherry
has a wife and one child and lives at 506
Thi**d street. His wif6 was Miss Viola
Parish, of Nashville, Ga
On Monday morning day-before-yes
terday, Cherry went out collecting bills
due to Mr. Gehrken and it was not till
the noon hour that he was missed. When
he failed to report at the usual time,
Mr. Gehrken telephoned to. his home.
There was no response. It was leafned
afterwards that Mrs. Cherry and her
little two-year-old daughter away
in the country visiting her family. They
left Augusta two days before, on Sat
urday.
Mr. Gehrken. thinking that his sales
man, Cherry, had met with some acci
dent, being otherwise unable to explain
his continued absence and silence all day
Monday, began to make enquiries.
COUNTED 10,000 GEUMANDEAD
AFTER ONE PRUSSIA BATTLE
Losses in First Six Weeks of War Exceed All Previous
Casualties---At Saldau, the Losses on Both Sides Between
Sixty Thousand and Seventy Thousand
London, 4:55 a. m—The correspond
ent of the Times at Petrograd says:
"The extent of the losses during the
first six weeks of the war places all
previous casualties far in the back
ground. Not less than 10,000 dead
Germans were counted in the trenches
after one engagement In eastern Prus
sia.
“On the fateful Sept 1, when two
Russian corps came to death grips
four German corps north of Soldau,
the losses of both sides totalled be
tween 60,000 and 70,000, the majority
being Germans.
Russian
Victories
Continue
*•
Thousands of Roumanians in
Frantic Excitement in Favor
Russia and France. Austrians
Falling Back
London, 12:10 p. m.—A
telegram received here from
Bucharest, Rumania, says
the Russian victories in Ga
licia over the forces of the
dual monarchy have arous
ed the Rumanians to almost
fanatic excitement. Thou
sands of Rumanians demon
strated yesterday in the
. street of Bucharest in fa
vor of Russia and France.
CERINSIRS
OVER FRENCH,
BRITISH TROOPS
Berlin, via. London, 8 a. m.—Ser
geant Major Werner of the aviation
corps returned today from the front
after making repeated scouting flignts
i ver the French and British troops.
He described as Ms most thrilling
flight one in which he battled with
two aeroplanes of the enemy, one a
British biplane and the other a French
monoplane. Both were much faster
than hts machine, which was old and
battered.
Expected Bomba.
"My two enemies flew beside and
about me for a long time," he sain.
• I expected momentarily that they
would throw bomb* but apparentlv
they had none Both of them fired
revolvers repeatedly In my direction
and replied with my revolver but
none of the shots were effective. Af
ter an anxious quarter of an hour I
drew them toward the German lines
and they were compelled to with
draw."
All eyes here are turned eastward
to the hard-pressed Austrian army In
Galicia where the importance of ad
Yesterday Mr. Gehrken received a let
ter from Cherry in Macon, saying that
he had certain funds (several hundred
dollars) of Mr. Gehrken’s money in his
possession, which he hoped to be able to
repay in the course of the next two or
three years. So far as is known he did
not mention the name of the woman
said to be with him in his letter to Mr.
Gehrken. ,
Friends of the young woman admit
that she has left the city and that they
are anixous to know of her whereabouts,
but they do not admit that she has gone
away with Cherry. They say that she
knows Cherry, however.
The police and the county authorities
claim that they have not been requested
to help find either Cherry or the young
woman. They stated that the knowi
edge the reporters gave them of the af
fair was the first they had heard.
Cherry came here four years ago from
Nashville. Ga., and was a valued em
ploye of Mr. Gehrken. “1 was never so>
surprised in a man in my life,” said Mr.
Gehrken Wednesday, in discussing the
matter.
“The results of the fair at Nijzti
Novgorod provide conclusive evidence
of the comparatively small effect the
war h d upon internal trade. Business
was suspended for only two or three
days at the beginning of mobilization,
but afterwards it was normal. There
was a brisk demand for goods from
central Asia, Persia, the Caucasus and
the Volgar region. A majority of firms
are ready to extend credit to regular
customers. The state bank, too by
active discounting supports the fair.
Furs alone suffered through the inter
ruption of foriegn trade.”
ministering a check to the Russian In
vading army appears quite as great,
trim a German point of view, as the
vigorous pursuit of the French cam
paign.
Building Railways.
"The Cologne Gazette’s jeorrespon
dents report from Montmedy in the
French department of the Meuse, 22
miles southeast of Sedan, that German
trains are already running into France
as far as that place. The German
engineers are building a railway line
around the city and French prisoners
are being employed in clearing the
railway tunnels.
The death of two military aviators,
Lieut. Count Uekull and Volunteer
Raymond Arthur Breton, is announced.
Dispatches to the Cologne Gazette
from Bucharest report that there is
a strong sentiment in favor of Russia
throughout Roumania.
PRiDYWAY
IN ILLINOIS
Chicago, Ills.—lllinois voters today
choose candidates for the fall election for
United States senator, congressmen,
state treasurer, superintendent of public
Instruction, clerk of the supreme court
and various county and municipal of
ficers.
In the democratic party there are five
candidates for senator, Rogers C. Sul
livan, Lawrence B. Stringer, congress
man at large, Harry Woods, secretary of
state. Barratt O'Hara, lieutenant-gover
nor and James Trayner.
On the republican ballot Lawrence
Sherman, United States senator, has
three opponents, William E. Mason, for
mer United States senator. Frank H.
Childs and Miner Stein. '
Much attention was directed to the
18th congressional district whtVe Joseph
O. Cannon is opposed by Elmer B.
Cooley, also of Danville, for the repub
lican nomination for congress,
4 INSTiir
KILLED IN AUTO
Ocean City, N. J.— Dr. Mathew S.
Borden, son of the late millionaire
cotton mill owner of Fall River, Mans.,
J Harvey Wood and Mrs. Wood of
New York, and Leo Oulfreund, Doctor
Borden's chauffeur, were Instantly
killed early today at the Palmero Sta
tion of the Reading Railroad In a col
lision between Dr, Borden’s automo
bile and a moving locomotive. A fifth
passenger, a man named Ryan, was
bodly Injured.
The party left New York yesterday
for Cape May to attend a convention.
Their car was going 35 or 40 miles
an hour, it Is estimated, when it
clashed into the locomotive. Mr.
Borden was at the wheel.
Mr. and Mrs. Wood clasped in each
others arms were hurled thirty feet
to the station platform and killed so
quickly that their embrace was not
broken. Dr. Borden was mutilated
beyond recognition.
THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA.
Speaking
... IKE ...
Public Mind
An Abused Wife Needing Help.
To the Herald:
Will some good person advise me
what I shall do? I am at my wits
end. I put In 15 years of torture, liv
ing- with a husband who drank, stay
ing away from home weeks at a time
and would leave me and our chail
dren to wait and suffer until his re
turn. Then we would be in agony, as
he was brutal. The first five years of
our married life was happy. Then bad
company, drink and women attracted
my husband and X was forced after
years of such a life to get a divorce. I
endured it for years, hoping and pray
ing for a change in the man. Now my
health is failing very fast and hard
work is making my days short.
Though X am willing to keep on, my
very soul is sick at times and I need
some good loving advice.
ONE WHO NEEDS ADVICE.
A Bug Exterminator Wanted.
To the Herald:
Will someone please tell me what I
can do to rid the house of bedbugs
and the eggs? I have tried a number
of things without any success as yet.
Maybe someone knows of a good ex
terminator.
WORRIED.
How He Whipped John Barleycorn.
To the Herald:
I would like to give a word of good
cheer to somebody, also my cure for
getting “soused” at every opportunity.
Mr. Coffin Varnish and I formed a
partnership back in 1871. I drank
with the boys when we got out to
gether, and eventually got into the
habit of taking one by myself if I
could find no one to drink with me.
It was the same old story. I got worse
and then worse. Finally the railroad,
(I was working for the Burlington out
of Kansas City) issued the ultimatum.
“Cut out the booze or we will let you
out.” That order had no effect on me.
I would lay off “sick" and tank up
for a week at a time.
Finally they handed me my reslga
tion and I went to Kansas City to
work. There was nothing to restrain
me but the lack of funds. I am a good
mechanic, and earned good big money
and would hold up on the booze for a
spell, and then I would get “lit up”
for as long as three weeks at a time,
never going near my work. My fore
man, knowing my weakness, tried to
help me by holding my situation. It
did no good.
On the morning of Oct. 18, 1910, at
6 a. m„ I started the other way. I
said to myself I will quit, and I
meant it. I did not hide or sidestep.
In fact, I would go into the saloon and
wait for the street car.
Now, after four years of abstinence
following forty-one years of boozing,
I believe I have won out fair and
square in the fight with Coffin Var
nish. And it is so simple too. I did it.
You can do it it. Take as your motto.
“Nothing Doing,” put it up against
any and all temptations, and mean it,
and you win.
I know it will be a little hard to say
it when you are urged to take Just one
with the boys.
Drinking is like getting olives out
of a bottle—after you have got the
first one the rest are very easy. There
fore beware of the first one.
Now. you do not have to go to
Kansas or any other place to get rid
of the habit. Buck up against It when
ever and wherever it comes across
your path. Stay on the firing line,
with a full determination to win, and
you will be surprised to find how
ea it is to say “No, nothing doing.”
And each time yor win you get
prouder of yourself, and the tempta
tions keep growing less all the time.
It will not be all smooth sailing, but
the farther you go the better you wilt
like it. And the boys will help you
along when they find that you mean
business. You need have no fear of
booze if your mind is fully imade up to
fight for your manhood and your
family.
“Old John" will tell you that you
are feeling badly, and that Just one
little drink will fix you all right. (And
it will “fix” you all right). Pass him
up absolutely, let “hiothlng Doing" be
your watchword, and you will win. I
knoi. it for I have been all over the
ground.
Stick to the firing line good red
blood spunk, no compromise and no
quarter, stiekand hang—that will spell
victory with a large V. I know It.
Don't try to be a good fellow with the
bunch. Get your mind off of the booze
and get It on your home and he a man.
Show the patient, forbearing wife that
she has not hoped in vain. You can if
you Just will.
"Old John” Is not such a terrible
fighter as some would have you be
lieve. I know you can wallop him to a
frai ile if you will put. up a hold front
and he willing to go the limit. Be the
aggressor at all times. Don't ever
think of laying down —give no quar
ter and ask none, and you will come
through with colors flying. J know It!
Ho cheer up and go to It with the
best of wishes of
ODD DICK.
THE END OF THE WORLD.
To The Herald:
I see that they are predicting the
End of the World again. I think It
was In Sunday’s paper. Although I
was not surprised—l knew there
would he people to grasp this present
war situation as a fulfillment of the
prophesy yet I was disappointed. I
read It with a feeling of regret, a
feeling that I cannot express, a sort of
depression and sadness.. It seemed
such a pity to me. that our newspapers
should print It, In all gravity, and
without comment.
Have we not yet learned, after all
the ages of hitter disillusionment, af
ter all the disappointments, and the
flaseas, that the Millenium is a dream
that will not come true? How many
times, since the beginning of the
Christian Era, has the End of the
World been predicted? How many
times have Christians given away all
that they had and gone up onto the
mountains to await the coming of the
Son of Man? Oh, the irony of it!
Why, In this enlightened age, should
we countenance another such proph
esy? Why ehould we stand by again
and consent to he humiliated; wait
for something that does not happen;
hold a lamp for one who does not
come. The end of the world will not
be this year, nor at any time before
mankind has run his course. And
that will not be before the Sun Is
grown cold.
Alas, we know that we must fight
It out to the grave, and that after us
our children must take up our cause,
and that always the old world will
roll on and on. And there shall he
Wars and the Rumors of Wars.
But the end is not yet.
FIRST WOUNDED
AMERICAN
WOMAN
New York.—The first wounded Am
erican woman to reach New York from
Europe since the beginning of the war
arrived Tuesday on the steamer Sax
onia from Liverpool. She is Mrs. C. J.
Devlin of Kansas City and her wound
Is a bayonet thrust in the leg, Inflicted
by a Dutch soldfbr in the Hook of
Holland. Her three daughters, Inez,
Ruth and Ethel, accompanied her.
The Saxonia brought 779 passengers,
nearly all Americans. Many of them
suffered unusual hardships In Europe.
Bayonet in Leg.
Mrs. Devlin and her daughters left
Munich some time after war had been
declared, and made their way to the
Hook of Holland. They were hurried
aboard a channel steamer by Dutch
soldiers, some of whom were much ex
cited. One of the soldiers, through in
advertence Mrs. Devlin believed, thrust
his bayonet into her leg. She still
limps from the wound.
Sunk By Mine.
Miss Sophie C. Hart, a teacher of
Wellesley, Mass., and Miss Mary
Sweeney, a teacher at the University
of Minnesota, passengers, were ferried
across the Gulf of Bothnia on their
way to Stockholm. The steamer was
preceded by a pilot boat as a guard
against mines. Several hours out of
Rouma they heard an explosion and,
rushing on deck, saw the disappearing
hull of the pilot boat. It had found a
mine.
MANNING INS
GOVERNORSHIP
OF SI
Columbia, S. C.—Additional returns
of tha balloting yesterday in the sec
ond state-wide democratic primary
from scattered precincts in practically
every county increased early today
the majorities by which Richard I
Manning will be nominated governor,
Andrew J. Bethea as lieutenant gov
ernor and E’rank Shealy as railroad
commissioner. With Mannjng, Bethea
and Shealy having majorities ranging
respectively from 30,000 to 38,000 the
result shown early today cannot be
changed.
Wyatt Aiken’s nomination as con
gressman from the Third District was
insured by an increased majority.
Columbia, S. C.—Richard I. Man
ning, of Sumter, for governor, A. .1.
Bethea, of Columbia, for lieutenant
governor, and Frank W. Shealy, of
Lexington, for railroad commissioner,
were nominated in the South Carolina
democratic primary yesterday by ma
jorities approximating 25,000 apiece.
Wyatt Aiken, for re-nomination to
the federal house of representatives
from the Third District, has won over
F. H. Dominick by a substantial ma-
Jortw, perhaps reaching 4,000.
With nearly 100,000 votes reported,
the count stands: Manning. 61,875;
John G. Richards, 36,467; for lieuten
ant governor, Bethea, 69,670; H.
Frank Kelly, 36,782; railroad commis
sioner, Shealy, 64,943; C. B. Fortner.
32,112; for congress, Aiken, 10,262;
Dominick, 7,133.
Fair Sized Vote.
The election turned out a fair vote,
estimates of Its size ranging from
105,000 to 110,000, as against a total
of 132 In the first primary of two
weeks ago.
The three winners were In each In
stance recognized as opponents of
Gov. Cole L. Blease, who two weeks
ago was defeated for the United
States senate by EX. D. Smith, the in
cumbent.
Representative Aiken was victorious
over E’. H. Dominick, now assistant
attorney general, who was formerly a
law partner of Governor Blease and
recognized as a strong supporter of
the administration.
In November.
Mr. Manning, who will be elected
governor In November, will take of
fice in January, In succession to Gov
ernor Blease. Mr. Manning Is a plan
ter and banker and has been active In
politics before, having served In the
state house of representatives and in
the state senate and having before
made the canvass for governor though
unsuccessfully.
He has carried forty of the forty
four counties, according to available
figures.
R’Y HEADS TO PRESIDENT.
WMhlngton, D. C. These railroad
executives, It was announcsd today, will
confer with President Wilson tomorrow
on the financial situation of the roads
growing 'rut of the European war:
Chairman Trumbull, of the Chesapeake
and Ohio; Presidents Iter, of the Penn
sylvania, Willard of the Baltimore and
Ohio, Harrison of the Houthrin, Itlple
of the Santa Ke and Vice-President
Holden of the Burlington.
Don’t pay rent; own your
home---SSOO cash and sLe
money you pay for rent wL I
buy a nice home in good sec
tion of city. Phone 76 W to
night
TO Ld5T SHOT
In this story Mr. Palmer, the
noted war oorreapondent. has palnt
sd war as he has seen It on many
battlefields, and between many na
tions. His Intimate knowledge of
armlee and armamenta haa enabled
him to produce a graphic picture of
the greatest of all wars, and his
knowledge of oondltlons has led
him to prophesy an end of armed
conflicts. No man la better quail
fled to write the story of the Anal
world war than Mr. Palmer, and
he haa handled hla subject with a
master hand.
« mi i»
(Continued from Yesterday.)
"This war was made for peace—the
only kind of peace that there can be,”
he said. “My ambition. If any glory
comes to me out of this war. is to have
later generations say: 'He brought
peace 1’ ”
Though the premier, could he have
heard this, might have smiled, even
grinned, he would have understood
Westerling’s unconsciousness of Incon
sistency. The chief of BtafT had set
himself a task In victory which had
no military connection. Without know
ing why, ha wanted to win ascendancy
over her mind.
"The man of action!” exclaimed
Marta, her eyes opening very wide, as
they would to let In the light when
sho heard something new that pleased
her or gave food for thought. "The
man of action, who thinks of an ideal
as a thing not of words but as the end
of action I”
“Exactly t” said Westerllng, sen
sible of another of her gifts. She
could get the essence of a thing In a
few words. "When wo have won and
sot another frontier, the power of our
nation will be such In the world that
the Browns can never afford to attack
us," he went on. "Indeed, no two of
the big nations of Europe can afford
to make war without our consent. We
shaJl be the arbiters of International
dissensions. We shall command peace
—yes, the peace of force, of fact! If
It could be won In any other way I
should not be here on this veranda In
command of an army of Invasion.
That was my idea—for that I planned.”
He was making up for having over
shot himself In his confession that he
had brought on the war as a (Inal
step for his ambition.
‘‘You mean that you can gain peace
by propaganda and education only
when human nature has so changed
that we can have law and order and
houses are safe from burglary and
pedestriane from pickpockets without
policemen? Is that It?” she asked.
“Yes, yes! You have It! You have
found the wheat In the chaff.”
“Perhaps because I have been see
ing something of human nature—the
human nature of both the Browns and
tha Grays at war. I have seen the
Browns throwing hand grenades and
the Grays In wanton disorder In our
dining-room directly they were out of
touch with their ofHoers!” she said
■a/lly, as one who hutes to accept dis
illusionment but must In the face of
logic.
Westerllng made no reply except to
nod, for a movement on her part pre
occupied him. Hhe leaned forward,
as she had when she had told him he
would become obief of staff, her hands
clasped over her knee, her eyes burn
ing with a question. It was the atti
tude of the prophecy. But with the
prophecy she had been a little mys
tical; the Are in her eyes had precipi
tated an Idea. Now It forged another
question.
"And you think that you will vrfn ?~
■he ashed. “You think that you will
wtn?" she repeated with the slow em
phasis which demands a careful an
swer.
The deliberateness of his reply was
In keeping with her mood. He was de
tached; he was a referee.
"Yes, I know that we shall. Num
bers make It so, though there be no
choice of nkill between the two sides.”
His lone had the confidence of the
flow of a mighty river In It* destlno
tion on its way to the sea There was
nothing In it of prayer, of hope, of des
peratlon. as there hail been in Lan
strrm's "We shall win!” spoken to her
In the arbor at their last Interview.
Hhe drew forward slightly in her chair.
Her eyes seemed much larger and
nearer to him. They were sweeping
him up and down as If she were seeing
the slim figure of Lanstron In con
trant to Westerilng's sturdiness; as If
she were measuring the might of the
flve millions behind him and the three
millions behind Lanstron. Hhe let go
a half-whispered "Yes!” which seemed
to reflect the conclusion gained from
the power of his presence.
“Then my mother's and my own In
terest* are with you—the Interest* of
peace are with you!” she declared.
She did not appear to see the sud
den, uncontrolled gleam of victory In
his eyes. By this time It had become
a habit for Westerllng to wait silently
for her to come out of her abstrac
tions To disturb one might make It
unproductive.
"Then If I want to help the cause of
peace 1 should help the Grays!''
The exclamation was more to her
self tbau to him He was silent. This
girl in a veranda chair desiring to aid
htm and his flve million bayonets and
four thousand guns! Quixote and the
windmills—but it was amazing; It was
fine! The golden glow of the sunset
was runniug in his veins in a paean
of personal triumph. The profile
turned ever so little. Now It was
looking at the point where Dellarme
had lain dying. Westerllng noted the
smile playing on the lips. It had the
quality of a smile over a task com
pleted—Dellarme’s smile. She start
ed; she was trembling all over in the
resistance of some impulse— «ome Im
pulse that gradually gained hoadway
and at last broke Its bonds.
"For T can help—l can help!” she
cried out, turning to him In wild In
decision which seemed to plead for
guidance. "It's so terrible—yet if it.
would hasten peace—l I know much
of the Browns' plan of defense! I
know where they are strong In the
first line and -and one place where
they are weak there—and a place
where they are weak In the main
line!”
"You do!" Westerllng exploded. The
plans of the enemy! The plans that
neither Bouchard's saturnine cunning,
nor bribeß, nor spies could ascertain!
It was like the bugle-call to the hunter.
But he controlled himself. “Yes, yes!”
He was thoughtful and guarded.
“Do you think it 1« right to tell?”
Marta gasped half Inarticulately.
“Right? Yes. to hasten the inevit
able—to save lives!” declared Weßter-
Ung with deliberate assurance.
“I —I want to see an end of the kill
ing! I —” Hhe sprang to her feet as
If about to break away tumultuously,
but paused, swaying unsteadily, and
passed her hand across her eyes.
"We intend a general attack on tho
first lino of defense tonight!” ho ex
claimed. his supreme thought leaping
Into words.
"And you would want, the Informa
tion about the first, line to-night Is—ls
it is to be of service?"
"Yes, to-night!”
Marfa brought her hands togethor
in a tight clasp. Iter gaze fluttered
for a minute over the testable. When
she looked up her eyes wero calm.
"It Is a big thing. Isn't It?” she eald.
"A thing not to be done In an Impulse.
? 0
“1 Want to See an End of the Killing."
I try never to do big things in an Im
pulse. When I see that i am In rlan-
Knr of It I always say; 'Go by your
self and think for half an hour!’ 80 I
mast now. In a little while I will let
you know my decision."
Without further formality she start
ed across tbe lawn to the terrace
steps. Westerllng watched her sharp
ly, passing along the path of the sec
ond terrace, pacing slowly, head bent,
until she was mit of sight. Then ha
stood for a time getting a grip on his
own emotions before he went Into the
house.
CHAPTER XV.
In Feller's Place.
What, am I? What have I done?
What am I about to do? shot a* forked
shadows over the hot lava-flow of Mar
ta's Impulse The vitality that Wester
llng had felt by suggestion from a still
profile rejoiced In a quickening of pace
directly she was out of sight of the
veranda. All the thinking she bad
done that afternoon had been in pic
ture*; some saying, some cry, eome,
groan, or some smile went with every
picture.
The sitting-room of the tower was
empty to other eyes but not to hers.
The lantern was In the corner at hand.*
After her hastening steps bad carried
her along the tunnel to tbe telephone,
she set dowu tbe lantern and pressed
tha spring that opened the panel door.
Another moment and she would be em
barked on her great adventure In tha
nullity of action. That little ear-piece
became a specter of conscience. She
drew back convulsively and her hands,
flow to her face; she was a rocking
shadow in the thin, reddieh light of
the lantern.
Conscious mind had torn off the
mask from subconscious mind, reveal
ing the true nature of the change that
war had wrought In her. She who had
resented Feller’s part —what a part
she had been playing! Every word,
every shade of expression, every tell
ing pause of abstraction after Weeter
ling confessed that he had made war
for his own ends had been subtly
prompted by a purpose whose actuality
terrified her.
Her hypocrisy, she realized, was as
black as the wall of darkness beyond
the lantern's gleam. Then this demor
alization passed, as a nightmare
passes, with Westerling’s boast agate
In her ears.
When war’s principles, enacted by
men, were based on sinister trickery
called strategy and tactics, should not
women, using such weapons as they
had, aleo fight for their homes? Mar
ta's hands swept down from her eyes;,
she was on fire with resolution.
Forty miles away a bell In Lan
stron's bedroom and at his desk rang
simultaneously. At the time he and
Bartow were seated facing onr.h other
across a map on the table of the room
where they worked together. No per
suasion of tho young vice-chief, no
edict of the doctors, could make the
old chief take exorcise or shorten hla
hours.
"I know. I know myself!” he said.
"I know my duty. And you are learar
lng, my boy, learning!”
Every day the flabby cheek* grew
pastier and t he pouches under the eye
brows heavier. But there was no
dimming of the eagle flashes of the
eyes, no weakening of the will. Last
night Lanstron had turned as white
as chalk when Bartow staggered on
rising from tho table, the veins on hie
temples knotted blue whip-cords. Yet
after a few hours' sleep he reappeared
with firm step, fresh for the fray.
The paraphernalia around these two
was the same as that, around Wester
llng. Only the atmosphere of the staff
was different. Each man was perform
ing the i>art. set for him. No man knew
much of any other man’s part. Partow
alone knew all, and Lanstron was try
ing to gra*p all and praying that Par
tow’s old body should etill feed hla
mind with energy. Lanstron was thin
ner and paler, a new and glittering In
tensity In his eyes.
When word of Feller’s defection
came, Lanstron realized for the first
time by Bartow’s manner that the old
chief of staff, with all his deprecation
of the telephone scheme as chimerical,
had grounded a hope on 1L
"There was the chance that we
might know —so vital to the defense—
what they were going to do before and
not after the attack,” he said.
Yet the story of how Feller yielded
to the temptation of the automatic had
made the nostrils of the old war-horsa
quiver with a dramatic breath, and In
stead of the command of a battery of
guns, which Lanstron had promised,
the chief made it a battalion. He had
drawn down his brows when he heard
that Marta had asked that the wtm
be left Intact; he had shot a shrewd,
questioning glance at and
then beat a tattoo on the table and
half grinned aa be grumbled nnder hte
breath:
"She Is afraid of being lonesome I Mb
harm done I “
A week had passed since tbe Grays
had taken the Galland house, and still
no word from Marta. The ring of thei
hell brought to his feet wltK
a startled, boyish bound.
"Very springy, that tendon od
Achilles!” muttered Partow. "And,
my boy, take care, take caret” ha
called suddenly In his sonorous voteet
as vast and billowy as hla body.
It was Marta’s voice and yet not
Marta’s, this voice that beat la nerw>
ous waves over the wire,
"Larin y — Yes, 1, Lenny I Yon were
right. Westerllng planned to make war
deliberately to satisfy his ambition,
lie told me so. The first general at
tack on the first line of defense Is to
night. Westerllng says sol” She had
to pause for breath. "And, Lenny, >
want to know some position of the
Browns which Is weak— not actually
weak, maybe, but some position where
the Grays expect terrible resistance
and will not find It — where yon will let
them In!"
"In the name of — Martel Marts.
what—”
”1 am going to fight for the Browns
—for ipy homel”
In the sheer satisfaction of explain
ing herself to herself, of voicing her
sentiments, she sent the pictures which
had wrought the change moving across
the screen before Lanstron’s amazed
vision. There was no room for Inter
ruption on bis part, no question or
need of one. The wire seemed to
quiver with tbe militant tension of her
spirit. It was Marta aflame who was
talking at the other end; not aflame
for him, but with a purpose that re
vealed all the latent strength of her
personality and daring.
"I shall have to ask Partow. ItY n
pre'ty big thing ”
(To be xontlnued Tomorrow Jj
FIVE