The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1918-10-30

permanently in Colonel Towards town
house, and her letters had grown more
infrequent and perfunctory. until their
arrival became a quarterly affair in
stead of a monthly event, and not al
ways that, either.
And by and by the feeling came
over Mark that If ever he were to see
her again there would remain no COM
mon link between them. From doubt
ing ,his future he had come to doubt
himself. He doubted whether the des-
ert life had not blunted him, blunted
his finer instincts, and made him unfit
for social life-certainly rendered him
unfit for the guardianship of a young
girl.
But that he had relinquished to Col
onel HOward-grudgingly but uncOm-
promisingly. Never in any of his let
ters did he put forward the shadow
of his former claim.
Then, swiftly, and unexpectedly,
chance turned and beckoned him.
1t came in the form of a letter from
Howard had, in the past, repeatedly
tried to induce Mark to take advantage
of opportunities that he had put before
him, but Mark had refused stubbornly,
until the Major had given him up in
disgust. Howard did not know, and
Mark did not himself understand, the
underlying idea in his own mind, the
sense of subdued rancor against the
man who had robbed him of Eleanor,
coupled with the sense of sacrifice,
that he might withdraw all his claims
on the child.
Now, however, Howard made one
more attempt.
81 want you to think this PROPOSE
ton over as quickly as possible" he
wrote, mot for my sake or yours, but
because your duty is to take the job.
With war with Germany in plain view
to the initiated, there are great things
doing in Washington, and I've been
offered my Old post at the mobilization
beyond all knowledge. Your work in
the West is better known than you
think, Wallace, and we want you here.
Wire If you can, and come by the first
train. This is official, so don't wait
for divisional notification, which may
take days."
The letter reached Mark in one of
his periods of helpless dependency.
Impulsively he wired back, accepting,
regretted as soon as the message had
been dispatched, but packed his suit
case, turned over the command to the
senior lieutenant, and took the train
for Washington.
AS he went East the years seemed
TO fall from him like dream. 1t was
frozen labyrinth in which ne seemed
to have been wandering; he seemed to
come to himself with a consciousness
of years wasted, but of years of action
ahead.
Colonel Howard gazed curiously at
him as he rose from his desk in the
war office and grasped his hands.
II should never have known you,
Wallace" he said.
What he was thinking was, "Good,
Lord, how the years have eaten into
himI'
Don't think that your work has
been unrecognized," he said, after a
few minutes of destltory chatting. 'Jt
has been, and know that recognition
is coming to you in the fullest meas
ure. You are to work under me- here !;
it's big scheme that we are prepar-
ing, my boy, and only Kelferman and l.,
and yourself, will be acquainted with
all the details, outside of the depart
mental head. You remember Keller
manY
Mark nodded, trying to piece to-
gether the pictures of the past.
"We are working out the mobiliza-
ton plans for the first contingent, af-
ter it reaches France" Howard con-
tinued. 'It's a bigger scheme than
anything we knew in the past You'll
act as my subordinate and have an in
innate knowledge of the details-a sort
of understudy, In fact, but with a good
deal of initiative as well. And if war
comes, as it is sure to come, Wen be
sent over on the first transport, to pre-
pare things for the troops. All, KEEL
herman, here's Wallace, newly arrived
to take over his duties"
Mark saw not the slightest change in
Kellerman since the days of the Cuban
war. Kellerman was just as fiorid as
ever, just as burly, with the same rath-
er sinister way of glancing; his black
hair was unthinned and untouched
with gray. He had borne the years
much better than Mark.
If Kellerman reciprocated Marks
feelings. he showed no sign of it in his
cordial handgrip.
"We were glad to get you. Wallace"
III =