The spectator., 1918-12-10

of understudy, in fact, but with good deal of initiative as well. And If war comes, as 1t Is sure to come, we'll be sent over on the first transport, to pre- pnre things for the troops. An, Kel- lermnn, 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 forid as ever, just as burly with the same rath- CT 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" he said. You'll excuse me for a mo- ment, I'm sure.''
 He drew Colonel Howard aside in conversation, while Mark twirled his fingers and looked out of the window into the busy hive of the capital, and tried to make himself believe that 1t was all true.
 When Kellerman had gone the Colo nel invited Mark to sit down, and launched into business.
 II must tell you that It's pretty stiff job that we're tackling, Mark" he said. ITO begin with, were a sort of nucleus of the whole organization. | We're in touch with every division. We have to have the whole thing at our fingers ends-and it's mainly a matter of ships, animals, and trans port. And. to cap the climax. you can | imagine what a nest of intrigue and espionage Washington has become in | these days. And, as neutrals-osten- Sibly neutrals-we can do nothing to put an end to it."
 He stretched out his finger and pointed toward the big safe between 1 the windows.
 Any one of some two hundred pa pers there, Mark. would give valu- able clue" he said. Every night, when work Is finished. your task will be to open the safe. take out the inner case containing these documents, add those | on which you have been working. in- | cluding every waste sheet and every scrap of the days plotting paper, md have the day porter convey them, under your personal supervision. to the strong room, where you and either the General, myself, or Kellerman. will place them in the safety vault. In | hn Ie versed. And that Is why insisted on our getting you, Mark. I knew you, and don't know the hundred of other officers of impcccahlc character whom we could have secured. We cant run riSks-we simply can't. That's why il has to be just you and Kellerman and I. We had our lesson in the old days, you know"
 He drowned at the remembrance, and then answered Marks unspoken | question with another.
 Where are you staying, WallaceT
 At the Congressional"
 'Well, I want you to come and stay | with us as soon as we're settled. We've rented a house in Massachusetts circle and move in on the first of the month Eleanor and Mrs. Howard are still in New York. but they're coming here in about ten days time-just as soon as l can get the house ready for them | Eleanor is dying to see you, and Mrs | Howard has the pleasantest remem- brances, of course. And now I'm going to take you to the Brigadier." | The short interview with the head of the department confirmed Marks | impressions as to the businesslike m. ture of the plans of the war office, Mark went home. He was resolved, al- 1 though he had not told the Colonel not to become his guest-at least not unless he found that he could take up his life again where he had dropped 1t, years before. And then--but what was the use of speculating? He went home to his hotel.
 He was surprised to find how easily he seemed to fit into his environment when he donned his long-neglected evening clothes and went down to the dining room of the Congressional. Al l ulOSt tue lFSl ldCt ue SdW WdS tudI Ol a man of his class; within a few min. utes Mark Wallace was seated at the dinner table with a merry party of old friends and new acquaintances. And the years had slipped away from him
 On the next morning, when he took up his duties, it was with the sense that he was no longer stranger Washington was ready to extend he, | welcome to him. At the Army club