The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-10-08
CHAPTER VII.

over the affair, Kellerman's presence
IN Mrs. Kenson's house, and Keller
mans possible connection with Hart
ley, who watched Eleanor.
He could not arrive at any but the
most fantastic solutions.
kellerman welcomed him wirh his
usual suavity. They carried up the
papers from the safe; then Kellerman
called Mark into his own office.
About last night, Wallace" he
began. 'Of course you acted all right.
as you understood the situation. but
there was good deal that you did not
understand. That man you took home
TO your rooms is a sort of international
stool pigeon, if I can coin the phrase.
quite despicable-the one-time gentle
man who has lost his honor: and dan
gerous, because he knows things that
nobody would credit him with know
ing. L suppose you wonder what was
doing in Mrs. Kenson's placer"
mot at all, Major Kellerman."
My dear Wallace" said Kellerman,
laying a hand on Marks shoulder, 81
want to give you a piece of advice.
Ihls is quite apart from our work
here. [ don't think your qualities are
adapted to headquarters work. Go
back to your battalion-or, rather, take
advantage of your friends in Wash
lngton to secure a good post'-he en-
phasized the adjectiye-''in regimentaI
work."
And as Mark looked at him in stu
pefactlOn, kellerman added cOOily:
Il am not speaking officially, my
dear Wallace. Take the suggestion as
friendly one. II I can make it a
little clearer to you, your presence in
Washington is ihcOnvenient to me for
personal reasons. I think you will ap-
preciate the reasons-the reason,
rather
The mans insolence was madden
ing. Marks impulse was to dash his
fists into his face. But discipline
told.
Mark sa1uted stiffly and went away
He sat down at his desk, Tuning. OF
course Kellerman had referred to Ell
eanor; and it suddenly occurred to
Mark that Kellerman might have
made a good deal of Roadway during
his absence.
Mark and Colonel Howard occupied
a small room at the end Of the CORR
dor the clerks room was without; be-
tween to to, accessible from each,
was t>e;lei mans office, which commu-
mics: lc5, il iIrl:, with the BrigaGier's.
Colonel Howard came in after a
while, and they went over their plans
complicated piece of work, involving
tonnage and computations Of cubic
feet of space for cargoes. There had
been an error somewhere, and Mark
was trying hard to discover it when
the Brigadier came in in his usual iras-
chile manner.
GLOW long will that job take, How
ard?" he asked.
'Wallace will have it finished by
noon, sir" answered the Colonel
The Brigadier waved Mark to his
seat impatiently. Bring it right in
to me as socn as you have the figures,
please" he said. "Tll wait for it. Sure
you can be through by nCon?"
'Tm sure, Sir" answered Mark, who
was hot on the trail Of the error.
The Brigadier withdrew, taking the
Colonel with him for conference.
Mark worked steadily. The omission
was found, the computations were
balancing. A clerk knocked at the
door.
''What is it?' asked Mark iLapA-
tiently.
"A man to see you, sir. He says hts
names Hartley. Shall show him ?"
"Good Lord, no! I'll see him in the
waiting room," answered Mark.
He locked the Office door, went
through the clerks room and into the
anteroom. Hartley was standing be-
side the window. He looked up sheep
ishly as Mark entered.
"Well?" asked Mark crisply.
Hartley grinned. II didn't take the
cups or the picture, Captain Wallace"
he said.
"Well, what about it? What can
do for your"
..Why, II wanted to tell you as
much, Captain Wallace. Eve sunk low,
but not to theft. Only I didn't feel
could stay"
''Good Lord, man, is that all you
have .cnIz.e to tell ne?'
"Well, you see-there was something
else, but" stammered Hartley. -.
~Out with 1t, thenI''
II wanted to thank you for what
you did for me. and"
The man seemed to be trying to spin
out the interview for some indefinite
purpose. Mark turned on his heel.
His temper was not Of the best just
then, and Hartley was the last man
in the world whom he wanted to see.
Gall right" he answered. "Steer
clear of that woman-of Mrs. Henson,
Hartley. It's evident that she doesn't
reciprocate your feelings, or whatever
they are. ard she seems to have some
DANGEROUS friends about her"