ank _you_!" called a private with a big voice.

"Yes, thank _you_!" repeated some of the officers in quick appreciation
of a compliment as real as human courage.

"We're going to put your headquarters in the Grays' capital!" cried the
soldier with the big voice.

Another cheer rose at the suggestion.

"You will follow the staff?" Lanstron called in sudden intensity.

"Yes, yes, yes!" they shouted. "Yes, yes; follow you!"

"You think our staff led you wisely?" he continued distinctly, slowly,
and very soberly. "You think we can continue to do so? You trust us? You
trust our judgment?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Thank you!" he said with a long-drawn, happy breath.

"Thank _you_!" they shouted.

He stood smiling for a moment in reply to their smiles; then, still
smiling, but in a different way, he said to Marta:

"As you say, that helps!" with a nod toward the bandage on her forearm
and hurriedly turned away.

She saw him involuntarily clutch the wrist above the pocket of his
blouse to still the twitching; but beyond that there was no further sign
of emotion as he went to the telephone. She had been about to cry out
her protest against the continuance of the war in the name of humanity,
of justice, of every bit of regard he had ever had for her. When he was
through talking she should go to him in appeal--yes, on her knees, if
need be, before all the officers and soldiers--to stop the killing; but
instantly he was through he started toward the pass road, not by the
path to the steps, but by leaping from terrace to terrace and waving his
hand gayly to the soldiers as he went. The officers stared at the sight
of a chief of staff breaking away from his communications in this
unceremonious fashion. They saw him secure a horse from a group of
cavalry officers on the road and gallop away.

Marta having been the object of Lanstron's attention now became the
object of theirs. It was good to see a woman, a woman of the Browns,
after their period of separation from feminine society. She found
herself holding an impromptu reception. She heard some other self
answering their polite questions; while a fear, a new kind of fear, was
taking hold of her real self; a fear inexplicable, insidiously growing.
Lanstron was still in the officers' minds after his strange appearance
and stranger departure. They began to talk of him, and Marta listened.

"He said something about being a free man now!"

"Yes, he looked as eager as a terrie