Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-17

shrugged her shoulders.
"Es bien. monster. it Is their az
fair she said lightly. and went into
the Clubhouse. She was too wise to In
terefcre with her customers. Mark
hardly noticed her departure. He was
watching Hartley.
Suddenly the door opened and the
woman came down tte steps that led
into the little vineyard behind the inn.
Sh. raised her heavy veil to dab n
handkerchief at her eyes, and at that
moment Mark recognized Mrs. Henson.
He remained rooted TO the ground
i'm astOnishment. But 1t was more
than that: he felt suddenly trapped.
as If the woman's presence there was
vitality connected with his own prob
lens. as if he were the victim OF some
trr-reaching scheme with which he
could not grapplc.
\ minute later Kellcrman appeared
and stood upon the step above her.
looking into her upturned face with
his ndUllu'tl SHttl.
"lt is all over them" asked Mrs.
KcnSon.
since you compel me to be frank
ycS," answered kcllerman. 1t has
been over for years. Ada. To think
that you should have put us all in this
danger. You haven't told me how you
got here. or how you sent me that
message"
How | got here? Does that mat
ter" Well, l came up in a peasant
womanS dress as one of the repa-
triated. | sent you the message by
Il boy. who knows nothing-his wits
we're thrashcd out of him by the Ger
mains. He left the note-he won't
trouble you. And suppose now I'm
To go back"
suddenly she broke into a small in
yrctivc. I'm to go back. after the
thousands of miles that came, be-
cause you are the only man In the
world who has ever meant anything to
me. gave my life to you. How many
years have you played with me? An
swcr me, And now you fling me from
you as if were nothing, because Of
oh. do YOU suppose | haven't heard oil
YOU and Miss Howard? I'll call her
that! But take care! / can be dan
gerous when | am aroused, and see
iie
fore
Marks blood seemed to freeze as ne
listened. He had unconsciously drawn
near Hartley: and now Il strange and
comforting thing happened. for Hart
ley, without turning. and US If he had
been conscious of Marks presence all
the time. put out his hand behind him.
found Marks, and .clasped 1t
moment.
You are talking wildly, Ada" NUT
tered kellcrman. Are you going to
ruin everyone? Do you want to hang!
For you will. Ada. There's no senu-
mentality in war. Now I'm going to do
the riskicst thing | ever did. I'm going
to take you back behind the lines IN
nv auto. by Il miracle Of good luck l
have the password for the night.
come. And we'll talk over matters
on the drive back" :.
lie descended another step unstcad-
iIy, with Il forced smile on his face,
and stretched out his arms.
You goadcd me into saying things
that | only half meant, Ada" he SAID
in low voice.
II WAS amazing to see his influence
over the woman: how doubtfully she
looked at him. and how she struggled
not to give in.
come. Ada!" said Kellerman; and
then he turned sharply and confronted
Mark.
For an instant he stood as If trans
fixed: then, with an oath, he leaped al
him and struck him blow in the face
that sent him reeling backward.
Ada Kcnson turned and ran toward
Mark with Il scream. She did not rec
ornizc him, Mark could see that.
The discipline of lifetime helo
Mark steady. He stood confronting
EclIcrman, but did not raise n hand
even to guard himself kellerman
slared at him in speechless fury. And
Gwen then it seemed n little singular
TO Mark that Hartley disappeared, so
swiftly and silently that neither the
man nor the woman knew he had been
there.
Then Kcllcrman burst into hysteri-
cal laughter.
It's the spy from the war depart
ment." he cried. THE fellow we
pitched out Of the army for treachery'
masuuerading here in uniform. A
blank wall and firing squad for you
tomorrow. my mani"
Ada Henson sprang between them.
He doesn't mean that" she cried'
pcering into Marks face dubiously'
She recognized Mark now. but Marx
could see that the recognition meant
little to her: probably he had been
only a trivial incident in her career.
Listen to me-" she whispered IN
Marks ear. He has been drinking.
II will be all right. Just 90 back and
keep this to yourself. You'll get
fifty dollar bill by the next post, ana
ten every month afterward. so long as
YOU don't see anything. Understand!
ie isn't responsible"
Mark turned away in disgust, but he
imagined the warped mind that caught
ut this hope Of secrecy. Ada Henson
had always taken the world as she
found it: that Mark was in private's
uniform meant for her that he was
purchasable, no matter what his past
had been. AS he turned, the woman
caught Kellerman by the arm and
forced him away. He went reluctant
IN. but too overcome by the meeting
to gather his wits together. And as
Mark tried to collect his own he heard
the auto roll away from the front OF
the inn.