ever
meet a great woman. He was baffled by the resources of a mind that was
held in detachment under her charm; baffled as to what she was thinking
at that moment, only to find her smiling at him, the wonder in her eyes
resolving itself into purpose.

"You see, I have been very much stirred up," she said half
apologetically. "There are some questions I want to ask--quite
practical, selfish questions. You might call them questions of property
and mercy. The longer the war lasts the greater will be the loss of life
and the misery?"

"Yes, for both sides; and the heavier the expense and the taxes."

"If you win, then we shall be under your flag and pay taxes to you?"

"Yes, naturally."

"The Browns do not increase in population; the Grays do rapidly. They
are a great, powerful, civilized race. They stand for civilization!"

"Yes, facts and the world's opinion agree," he replied. Puzzled he might
well be by this peculiar catechism. He could only continue to reply
until he should see where she was leading.

"And your victory will mean a new frontier, a new order of international
relations and a long peace, you think? Peace--a long peace!"

Was there ever a soldier who did not fight for peace? Was there ever a
call for more army-corps or guns that was not made in the name of peace?
He had his ready argument, spoken with the forcible conviction of an
expert.

"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!'"

Though the premier, could he have heard this, might have smiled, even
grinned, he would have understood Westerling's unconsciousness of
inconsistency. The chief of staff had set himself a task in victory
which had no military connection. Without knowing why, he 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 she 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!"

"Exactly!" said Westerling, sensible of another of her gifts. She could
get the essence of a thing in a few words. "When we have won and set
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 Eu