o on record to his soldiers as saying that they could
not take the Gray range. This was a handicap that the vice-chief did not
care to accept; and he knew how to turn a phrase as well as to make a
soldierly decision. He looked up smilingly to Marta.

"I have decided that I had rather not be a Westerling, Miss Galland," he
said. "We'll make it unanimous. And you," he burst out to Lanstron--"you
legatee of old Partow; I've always said that he was the biggest man of
our time. He has proved it by catching the spirit of our time and
incarnating it."

Vaguely, in the whirl of her joy, Marta heard the chorus of assent as
the officers sprang to their feet in the elation of being at one with
their chief again. Lanstron caught her arm, fearing that she was going
to fall, but a burning question rose in her mind to steady her.

"Then my shame--my sending men to slaughter--my sacrifice was not in
vain?" she exclaimed.

Misery crept into her eyes; she seemed to be seeing some horror that
would always haunt her. These businesslike men of the council were
touched by a fresh understanding of her and of the reason for her
success, which had demanded something more than human art--something
pure and fine and fearless underneath art. They sought to win one more
victory that should kill her memory of what she had done.

"Miss Galland," said the vice-chief, "Westerling's fate, whatever it is,
would have been the same. He could never have taken our range. He would
have only more lives to answer for, and Partow's dream could not have
come true."

"You think that--you--all of you?" she asked.

"All! All!" they said together.

"Yes, but for you the losses on both sides would have been
greater--hundreds of thousands greater," concluded the vice-chief. "And
to-night I think you helped me to see right; you struck a light in my
mind when I was about to forget the law of service."

"You see, then, you did hasten the end, Marta," said Lanstron.

"Yes, I do see, Lanny!" she whispered. She was weak now, with no spur to
her energy except her happiness as she leaned on his arm. Then he felt
an impulsive pressure as she looked up at him. "The law of service, as
you say!" she said, turning to the vice-chief. "Isn't that the finest
law of all? Couldn't I help you with the appeal? Perhaps I might put in
it a thought to reach the women. They are a part of public opinion"

"I was going to suggest it, but you seemed so weary that I hadn't the
heart,