Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-03
CHAPTER VII.


in Mrs. Kcnson's house. and Keller
mans possible connection win hart
ley, who watched Eleanor.
He could not arrive at any but the
most fantastic solutions.
kcll.l1aan welcomed HIM win MS
usual suavIty. They carried up th'
pnp,rs from the safe: then h"ii'riidh
called Mark INTO his own Office.
"Abou, las, night Wallace h"
began. ''Of course you acted all iisht'
as YOU understood the situation. t''
thci, was Il good deal that you did not
understand. That man you TOOK NONE
TO Sour ruoiuS IL Il sort oi iht'fha''oh-
al stool pigeon, ii can coin the
phrase. quite I"spIcablr-th" one
time gentleman who has lost ms
honor: ana dangerous. because h."
knows thInas tn;lt nobody would cI"d-
1t Inn with knowing. Suppo'" !""
wonder what | was doing III Airs
kcnsOns placer?
"Nut at ALL MaJul k"ll"rinhn.
NV Il, ar Wallace" said kcll"rnan.
layln. a hand Oh Marks shoulder. Il
want to give you a piece oi advice
This is quite apart from our worh
here. | don't think your qualities are
adapted To headquarters WORK. Eo
back to your battalion-or. rather,
take advantag, oil your friends in
Washington to secure good post
emphasized the adjcctivc-"in rcSi-
mental work"
And as Mark looked at him in stu
pelaciion, kclirrnlan added coolly:
Il am not speaking officially. my
dear Wallace. Take the suggestion as
Il friendly one. II ] can make IL Il
little clearer 20 you, your prCSrnc" IN
Washington is inconvcnient 10 me Tor
personal reasons. | think you Will APP
preciatc the rcasons--thc reason,
rather.
The mans insOlencc was madden
ing. Marks impulse was to dash his
fists into his face. But discipline
told.
III the brigadicr'-hc began.
oh. my dear Wallace. pray forget
wtlIt l nave Siiu W SOu, i'tpi i''u Nv
herman. 1t was purely II piece OF per
scnal advice, Uictatcd 10y considerations
for your interest. 1t has nothing 10
do with the brigadicr."
Mark saluted stiffiy and went away.
e.Sat doAS, a. a. ia aesk. -fiiIl1nT.> u
course Kellerman had referred to FL
canor; and it suddenly occurred to
Mark that Eellcrmun might have
made a good deal Of headway during
his absence.
He worked nard. TO avoid thinking,
Il was another swcltcring day. In
spite of the circular fan the heat IN
the office was stiffling. The sound oi
the clerks typrwIiterS outside was Il
brain -wcarying racket.
Mark and Colonel Howard occupied
a small room 1T the end OF the corri-
dor: the clerks room was without, be-
tween the two, accessible from each.
was kcllerman's office. which commu-
nicatc. III turn. with the brigadiers.
Colonel Howard came in after a
while. and they went over their plans
together. They were engaged on a
complicated piece of work. involving
tonnage ad computations OF cubic
feet OF space for cargoes. There had
been an error somewhere, and Mark
was trying hard to discover 1t when
the brigadier came in in his usual
flascible manner.
How long will that job take. How
ard?" he asked.
Wallace will have it finished by
noon. sir" answered the colonel
The brigadicr waved Mark to his
seat imJatirntly. bring IT right in
to me as soon as you have the figures.
please" he said. "l'll wait for it. Sure
You can br through 10y noon?"
I'm sure sir" answered Mark. who
was hot on the train Of the error
The brigadicr withdrew. taking tn"
colonel with him for conference.
Mark worked steadily. The omission
WAS found. the computations were
balancing. A clerk knocked n the
door.
What is it?" asked Mark impa-
tiently.
IA man TO see you. sir. He says his
names Hartley. Shall show him in
Good Lord. no. I'll see him in the
waiting roon." answered Mark.
He locked the office door. went
through the clerks room and into the
an;croom. Hartley was standing be-
side the window. He looked up sheep
ishly as Mark entered.
"Well?" asked Mark crisply.
Hartley Grinned. Il didn't take the
cups or the picture, Captain Wallace,
he said
We'll. what about it? What can I
do for you?,
why. IL wanted to tell YOU as
much, Captain Wallace, I've sunk low,
but not to theft. Only / didn't feel l
could stay"
Good Lord. man. is that all you
have come to tell me-"
Well, you see-thcre was something
else but" stammered Hartley.
"Out with it. them"
IL 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.
"All right" he answered. steer
clear of that woman-of Mrs. kenson.
Hartley. It's evident that she doesn't
reciprocate your feelings. or whatever
they are. and she seems to have some
dangerous friends about her"
He relented suddenly. and, going
forward. clapped the man on the
shoulder.
Il guess you've had your troubles,