The spectator., 1918-12-13
The woman answered him in tones

The woman answered him in tones of quick anger, and made gesture of | dismissal. The man held his ground | doggedly, the voices became angrier. "No! No, I tell your the woman cried. 'I don't know who you are {! Will you go?"
 Suddenly q man came along the | passage behind her, carrying wals- ing-cane with heavy handle. He raised it and brought 1t crashing down | on the others head.
 The man fell to the ground, evident | ly half stunned by the blow. The man with the cane raised it and brought it down again and again upon the others head and face, in a succession of sick l ening crashes.
 Mark ran to the garden gate. The man with the stick paused, raised his head, and looked at him. Mark recog- nized Kellerman. AS Kellerman, in turn, recognized him, an angry sheer spread over his face.
 My dear Wallace, what the dickens are you doing here?" he demanded.
 Are you trying to kill this man?" asked Mark.
 Kellerman seemed nonplussed for the moment.
 T hope I've given him his lesson" he answered. He came here and de- manded money, and nearly frightened Mrs. Henson out of her senses. Let me present you"
 Mark looked into the keen, apprais- ing eyes of Mrs. Kenson with dislike and disgust.
 You'd better let him go, Major Kel- lerman." he said. As he spoke he saw Mrs. Henson bite her lip vindictively.
 "Oh, I'll leave him to you," respond ed Kellerman airily. You'll excuse me, Wallace, I'm sure, but Mrs. Kenson's auto will be here in few moments"
 Mark, hot with indignation, answer ed nothing, but raised the man from gate. AS he did so he heard the door of the house close softly.
 The tramp was half unconscious, and muttering vaguely.
 -Four years since I've seen her." he mumbled. Il didn't want money. Only the word God knows I wouldn't have taken money from her as he said, the cur"
 Was she your wife?" asked Mark, thinking that he saw light.
 God forbidl" calculated the man with convincing spontaneity. "Who are you. anyway" he demanded, look ing at him directly for the first time. What were you doing in that placer"
 He grasped Mark by the arm. Are you another friend of hers?" he asked. "Or didn't you know that it's the swell, est gambling house in Washington?
 Mark took him by the shoulders. What's your name and where do you live?" he asked. Il haven't time to waste on you, but I'm ready to help you if I can"
 My name? Hartley. Good enough name, isn't if? Live? 1 haven't lived for more years than I remember. I'm corpse-see? I wanted to live That's why I came here when I heard she was in Washington. Walked from New York. Why should she be here now, unless there's another poor young fool like me for her? Where the car cass Is, there are the eagles-or is it vultures?"
 Mark drew the mans arm through his and led him away. Presently a cab came crawling up. He hailed il and gave his address.
 He took him home and played the Good Samaritan, washed his wounds plastered them, and gave the man q bed in his living room. Hartley had subsided into state of frightened si. lence. He looked dubiously at Mark all the while he was receiving his min. istrations, and would say nothing.
 Now, please understand" said Mark, I've brought you here because you seem to me to be up against 1t The doors unlocked And I'm trusting you with my things. Those cups are silver. Hartley-I won them at West Point. That little picture is by Griffin and worth about seven hundred. That's about all, I think-but l want you to understand you're free, and I'll helr you if I can
 Hartley flushed rather oddly Mark thought but said not a word. It was foolish act, he thought repeatedly before he fell asleep; but he must win the mans confidence if he was 70 learn the mystery. And he was satisfied that his interest in Eleanor's move ment boded no harm to her.
 In the morning, Hartley was gone, as he expected. But he had taken nei- ther the cups nor the picture.