Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-10
"Bride of Battle"
a ROMANCE OF THE AMERICAN ARMY
FIGHTING ON THE BATTLE
FIELDS OF FRANCE.
CHAPTER TX.
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
Copyright by W. &. Chapman.

CHAPTER TX.
Captain Wallace, Get up! Can
you stand? Come with me-
Mark opened his eyes and groaned.
II was pitch dark, and he could Zee
nothing, but he knew the Voice for
Iiurtley's.
Where am II" he muttered, trying
to rise and sinking back again.
In the kensOn house. BE qiuck.
There, Listen"
Outside there was the confused muir
mur of voices, above which came the
sound Of crisp command. Then
some implement fell heavily against
the door Of the house, splintering 1t.
Again the cries broke out.
Try again" muttered Hartley In
dcsper;ttion. There's Il door into the
empty house next door, through the
cellar. The police don't know OF 1t.
You must get away. You must get
away"
Mark tried again, and this time
managed To rise. His head ached dis
mally, but when he put his hand to It
nc found that ii was not bleeding; he
had been stunned, but the stick had
left no trace of the blow. And con-
seriousness, though it had been latent
during Il perceptible period, told him
that it was still short Of midnight.
Hartley caught Mark by the arm
and guided his unsteady footsteps to
the door. II was the same room In
which the interview with Mrs. kenson
had taken place. They gained the
passage, and Hartley guided Mark To-
ward the head of the basement steps,
which they reached just rs the front
door fell in under the hatchets of the
raiders
They scuttled down the stairs as the
hall became filled with the shouting po-
licemen. \ light was turned on, but by
that time the fugitives were In the
passugc of the basement, and their
presence seemed not to be suspected.
llISl VI lilO ioieSAS wv '--S
foot upon the stone stairs Hartley had
found door In the darkness, opened
IL, and pushed Mark through, follow
ing Immediately. He shut the door
softly behind him. They were in the
basement of the adjoining house.
Were safe now," said Hartley in
whisper. They'll never find that door
at least, unless they look for 1t.
Well wait hero till the search Is over
and then make q break for the ave-
nue.. You'd better rest, Captain Wal
lace"
You're Hartley" muttered Mark,
sitting down and trying in vain to dis
Germ something OF the others face
through the gloom. What happened
and how did you come on the scene?
GOOD God forgive mel" moaned
Hartley, suddenly breaking into hys-
tcricm sobbing, as on the former
night. I've ruined you. Captain Wal
lace. What else could 1 do?"
so you were in that plot, EN-!
asked Mark. wondering that he felt so
little anger. well, it was clear
enough, but II dosen't matter now.
1t matters everything" answered
Hartley, i'm Il vehement whisper. They
trickcd me into it. didn't know what
their scheme WAS when agreed to get
Won out of the room. Dut l found out
later. And | had suspected. God, Cap
tain Wallace, to think / found that
door"
Never mind" said Mark soothingly.
listening to the stamping of the raid
crs in the next house overhead. What
more do you know?
Il knew that they wouldn't be salts
fled With that. sir. They
"unc moment Who is they Hart
ley"
They" repeated Hartley vim
,lirtively. Those devils that make
pawns of men. They meant to clinch
their dirty work one way or another.
They meant to buy you. after running
YOU, and fashion you to their dirty
work. If they couldn't do that they
were going to
Murder me-"
No. sir. Discrcdit you so tina: moth
ing YOU could say would be listened 10.
Good God. to think that you should
ever have gone TO this house at all
that first night, as If fate was against
you.
That's what they meant to do. II
was I who was told to give the tip to
the police that there was gambling
here. They thought the place was
closcd-and 1t was. But they wanted
the police to find you here. anu arrest
YOU, so that the story might get into
the newspapers. and finish you-hnish
you with the war department, and
with Miss Howard
And what did you expect to get out
of il. Hartley" asked Mark.
He heard the man catch at his
breath. In the darkness he stretched
out his hand and laid it on Haruey's
arm.
"She wasn't your wife, Hartley"
NO. Captain Walalce, no."
But she has hold on you strong
enough to compel you to do such work
rs she requires. And yet you have
tried TO save me dishonor-if any more
could come to me-"
You saved me, Captain Wallace!
Mark made a sound OF incredulity.
And l have been a gentleman. You
don't know how man falls, Captain
Wallace. The higher man is, the
quicker he can come down. When a
mans been scrui ulous all his life and
fortune breaks him, he's done for. He
can't pick himself up and put his
honor together again
Hartley. you haven't answered my