Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-03
stop" Colonel Howards chal-

lengc had a triumphal ring to IL. He
placed his hands on Marks shoulders
and swung him round. looking straight
into his eyes Thank God for that
Mark" nc cried. Il fought the briga
der over you. and I'll fight him 10 the
end of time. ! told him il was Il
damned lie. I'll swear to it,
What do you mean, SIR"
That you are a frcqucnter Of gam
bling houses. Wallace. That's the
story that they have been putting over
on him. You know whom | mean b.
they Washington's swimming with
,, that crooked gang, and that story
well, they managed to start that in
circulation and saw that ii reached the
brigadier's ears. He heard that you
were in fight outside Mrs. Kenson's
place in the small hours this morning.
Mark, I'll see you through this. I'll
pull you through, and stake my COM
mission on it. He'll have to produce
them. I'll tell him what I've told him.
lamely, before, that I've known YOU
since you first put on Uncle Sans uni
form, and that you're the straightest.
clclncst whitest man | know. Wait
for me-"
Impulslvely the kindly old man
started toward TIE door. He had al
most reached ii when Wallace found
his tongue.
stop"
The colonel halted. one hand still
outstretched toward the door. "t.h.
M boy" he asked.
"One moment. sir! | cannot let you
20 to the brigadier. have never been
inside a gambling house in my life. but
| was outside Mrs. Ecnson's place last
night"
\ snddcn fccblcncss seemed to come
over the colonel. He came back
toward Mark slowly. staring at him
as If he mad rot understood.
Tell me about it, Wallace. Tell mr
why? You went there? You know
her then? Don't you know that
she's"
Il know nothing about her. sir.
merely ask you not to 80 to the brig
adler. l shall proceed to my quar-
ters."
us that all you have to say. Mark?
Is that all, Wallace? You owe me a
little more than that. don't you? Why
were you there?'
The old mans real concern had al
most penetrated Marks armor of re-
serve. Yet, even us Mark half yielded.
the impossibility OF an explanation rc-
asserted itself. How could he say that
nc had followed the man who watched
Eleanor? How drag her in, with tho
forgotten past?
81 have no more to add now, SIR
he answered coldly.
You understand there will hc n
court -martial?"
Naturally. sir"
But not inevitably" stormed How
ard. suddenly losing all self-control AT
Marks ingratitudc. 81 presume you
won Ilnu IL HcCcSSdlS W iuNN N''
over? | was charged to tell you that
If you will send in your RESIGNATION ie
will be accepted. That might be bet
ter for all concerned. The war de-
partment hasn't much supcrfluous time
on it's hands to wash its dirty linen.
We want TO get ahead. We want to
forget this. think If you will send in
your resignation"
You shall have il tonight. sir
Mark walked toward the door of the
clerks room. Colonel Howard, stand
ing in the middle OF the door, watch
ed him. Mark unlocked the door and
tossed the keys upon his desk.
Mark"
The cry was almost OF anguish. 1t
came straight from the old mans
heart. And because Mark recognized
this, and was hardly able to control
himself, ne closed the door hastily he
hind him. went through the clerks
room and into the corridor. and down
into the street.