Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-12-06

u guess you've had your troubles,
Hartley" he said., 'But pull yourself
together, man."
The sheepish, unmanly mask
dropped from Hartley's face. He
caught Marks hand impulsively.
I'm cur, Captain Wallace 7" he
cried. I'll"
That's all right, Hartley. But. by
the way, who told you my name?"
Captain Wallace, don't ask me that |!
Go backl Never mind me! Go back
into your Office at once!" cried Hart
ley.
He broke past Mark with q sudden,
spasmodic movement, gained the door.
and ran down the corridor. Mark
looked after him in stupefaction. Hart
ley had not been drunk, and his pres
ence there had seemed purposeless.
Suddenly, with an intuition of danger.
he hurried through the clerks Office,
unlocked his door, and entered.
The room was filled with q furious
gust of wind. The mobilization papers
were whirling on his desk in front of
the open window
The circular fan, which had been
distributing a gentle breeze impair
TALLY from side to side, now poured
its current of air Immediately upon
Marks desk. The rotary movement
had been stopped, and 1t had been set
to maximum speed.
And this was not the small fan GUS
tomarily in use in the little office. but
large one from the clerks room.
When Mark had left to interview
Hartley, he had seen Kellerman al
work through the glass door that con.
nected their two offices. Now Keller.
mans desk was vacant.
Mark slammed down the. window
there were two locks, and Mark and
Kellerman had each a key. Nobody
could have entered.
But Mark was positive that Keller
man had set the fan. 1t stood on 8
shelf against the partition. Looking
up. Mark saw that there was tin,
hole Immediately behind it. larrt
enough to permit an inserted wire tc
push back the lever that controlled tn,
rotary apparatus. Yet this might hav,
been nothing but wormhole in tn,
wood framework of the door.
With gasp of rage Mari, hastily
stopped the fan and ran back to hi!
desk. He began collecting the papers
They had blown hither and thither
some had fallen behind the desk. som,
on the radiator. The floor was littere,
with them.
Had any gone out Of the window?
There should have been two hundre,
and nine. There was nothing to d,
but count them. Mark began, but hi
fingers trembled so that he could hard
ly turn the pages.
4 In the very middle of this task tn
door clicked; the Brigadier and Colone
Howard entered.
swell, Wallace. finished, 1 hone?
asked the Brigadier with the cordialit
Of one who has been refreshed by
good dinner. Let me sect"
Mark turned the leaves nerveqessl,
while the Brigadier and Howard stoo
silently beside him.
He reached the end. He had coun
ed exactly two hundred. That migt
have been an error. But the pane
was not there.
He looked up to see the Brigadie
peering into his face with an extrao
} binary expression He heard himse
stammering, fumbling for words: /
stopped.
; Colonel Howard sprang forward an
} caught him by the shoulder. "Wallac
my dear fellow, pull yourself togetl
err" he was pleading. whats tn,
you're saying7 Blown out of the wi
5 dow? It's the heat, sir. He's bee
, OVERRIDING itp
e Very possibly" said the Brigade
caustically. Pray have a look, the
t Howard. Take your time"
e Mark was searching again. f
: stopped as they came to the last D
= per, which was now the two hundr,
and third.
TITS no use, Colonel Howard"
e cried. "It has gone out Of the wi
- dow. 1 was called out. When car
back the fan was turned ON my de
l and the papers were blowing abo
the room. Somebody-perhaps t
s mechanism slipped. don't know.
?, I'tired-my God, how tired 1 ami"
The Colonel was pushing him in
chair. He heard the storming vol
U of the Brigadier long distance awf
Howard was eXpostulating. They VIC
g going through the papers again.
clerk had been called In. Mark hea
something about searching the stree
It Somebody was telephoning. Al
above all, he was conscious of keIlt
n man in the next room, long before
e opened the glass door and entered.
l. He waS alone, and struggling ba
It into the realization of his Situate
n Kellerman's threat and his refusal
e. consider IL, the visit of Hartley,
II gan to link themselves into the chs
!, of the devllish conspiracy. He re
t unstcadily to his feet, wiping the swt
II from his forehead. Colonel HowO
Ie was coming through The open doorw
from Kcllermnn's room.
e ! "Slt down, Wallace" he said gra'