The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-12-27

Mark opened his eyes and groaned.
It was pitch dark, and he could see
nothing. but he knew the voice for
Hartley's.
''Where am r. he muttered, trying
to rise and sinking back again.
I'm the Henson house. Be quickl
Therei Listeni I"
Outside there was tho confused muir
muir Of voices, above which came the
sound Of . crisp command. Then
some implement fell heavily against
the door Of the house. splintering It.
Again the cries broke out.
Try again." muttered Hartley In
desperation. There's q door into the
empty house next door, through the
cellar. The police don't know Of It.
You must get away. You must get
away"
Mark tried again, and this time man
aged to rise.
Hartley caught Mark by the arm and
guided his unsteady footsteps to the
door. They gained the passage.
and Hartley guided Mark toward the
head Of the basement steps. which they
reached just as the front door fell In
under the hatchets Of the raiders.
They scuttled down the stairs as the
hall became filed with the shouting po-
licemen.
Before the first Of the raiders set his
foot upon the stone stairs Hartley had
| found q door In the darkness, opened
It, and pushed Mark through following
Immediately. He shut the door softly
behind him. They were in the base
ment Of the adjoining house.
"We're safe now" said Hartley In .
whisper. YOU'D better rest, Captain
Wallace"
"You're Hartley. muttered Mark,
sitting down and trying In vain to dis
Germ something Of the others face
through the gloom. "What happened,
and how did you come on the scene7'
"Good God forgive met" moaned
Hartley, suddenly breaking into hys-
terical sobbing. as on the former night
I've ruined you, Captain Wallace.
What else could I dol"
$50 you were In that plot, ehf" asked
Marx, wondering that he felt 80 little
anger. "Well, It was clear enough, but
II doesn't matter now"
Ut matters everything" answered
Hartley. In . vehement whisper. "They
tricked me into 1t. / didn't know what
their scheme wal when l agreed to get
ron out Of the room. But I found out
later. And I had suspected. God, Cap
tain Wallace, to think I found that
doorl"
"Never mind" said Mark soothingly,
listening to the stamping Of the Riders
In the next house overhead. "What
more do You knowf"
II knew that they wouldn't bs satts-
ned With that, OR. They"
zone moment Who 10 they Hart
lsy3'
"They.'s repeated Hartley vim
dictively. 'Those devils that make
pawns Of men. They meant to cunch
their dirty work ons way or another.
They meant to buy you, after running
you. and fashion you TO their dirty
work. II they couldn't do that they
were going to-"
Murder mer'
mo. cir. Discrsdit you - that moth
Ing you could say would b listened to.
that's what they meant to do. II
Wa l who was told to give the tip to
tho police that there was gambling
here. They thought the place was
closed-and It was. But they wanted
the police to md you here. and arrest
you. % that the story might get int
the newspapers, and finish you-nnish
you with the war department and With
Miss Howard"
.And what did you expect to get out
Of II, Hartley" asked Mark.
He heard the nan catch at his
breath.
"She wasn't your wife. Harteyr'
mo. Captain Wallace mol"
@But she has ! hold on you strong
enough 70 compel you TO do such work
- she requires. And yet you have
tried to save M dishonor-if any moro
could come to me-"
"You saved me. Captain Wallacel~
Marx made . sound Of Incredibly.
And / have been . gentleman. You
don't know how . man falls, Captain
Wallace
Hartley, Jon haven't answered my
question. Nov here's another. Why
wess you watching Colonel Howard's
house the other nightrs
You know thatts
Il followed Jon here. Ten M the
whole truth about this business, and
m stand By you 70 the end
@Tl trust you-to the llmit-but I
won't tell you. Captain Wallace Some
day. peghap4 but not nov. IN Stand
b. yo1, and IN light q your hide. sir.
hut I went tsll yOu- And that's the
only cood1tion q which ! IN aerss .
what yo1 PROPOSE
AAnd r ~ succee6-r
mot ~ but swhsn'." cried Hartley.
with . sn0den o1tburst of conviction.
sT1l TN Jon tA1n-yea Captain Wal