Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-11-01
CHAPTER TX.

you stand? Come with me!''
Mark opened his eyes and groaned.
It was pitch dark, and he could see
nothing, but he knew the voice for
Hartley's,
"Where am To- he muttered, trying
to rise and sinking back again.
''In the Henson house. Be quick
There! Listen!"
Outside there was the confused MUIR
muir of voices, above which came the
sound of a crisp command. Then
some implement fell heavily against
the door of the house, splintering it.
Again the cries broke out.
"Try again!" muttered Hartley in
desperation. There's door into the
empty house next door, through the
cellar. The police don't know of it.
You must get away. You must get
away!''
Mark tried again, and this time man.
aged to rise.
Hartley caught Mark by the arm and
guided his unsteady footsteps to the
door. They gained the passage,
and Hartley guided Mark toward the
head of the basement steps, which they
reached just as 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.
Before the first of the raiders set his
CHI tot a.sfln m
found door in the darkness, opened
it, and pushed Mark through, following
Immediately. He shut the door softly
behind him. They were in the base
ment of the adjoining house.
"Were safe noN'," said Hartley IN a
whisper. you'd better rest, Captain
Wallace"
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-
terical sobbing, as On the former night.
L VIC yOu, OOptuiA
What else could do?"
$50 you were in that plot, eh?" asked
Mark, wondering that he felt so little
anger. "Well, it was clear enough, but
it doesn't matter now"
'It matters everything" answered
Hartley, in vehement whisper. "They
tricked me into it. didn't know what
their scheme was when agreed to get
you out Of the room. But found out
later. And had suspected. God, Cap
tain Wallace, to think I found that
door!'
"Never mind" said Mark soothingly,
listening to the stamping of the raiders
in the next house overhead. "What
more do you known
II knew that they wouldn't be salts
fed with that, sir. They"
zone moment. Who is they Hart
ley?"
"They,'" repeated Hartley vim
dictively. "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?"
mo, sir. Discredit you so that moth
Ing you could say would be listened to-.
THAT'S what they meant to do. It
was I who was told to give the tip to
the police that there was gambling
here. They thought the place was
closed-and it was. But they wanted
the police to find you here, and arrest
you, so that the story might get into
the newspapers, and finish you-finish
you with the war department, and with
Miss Howard"
"And what did you expect to get out
of it, Hartley?" asked Mark.
He heard the man catch at his
breath.
"She wasn't your wife, Hartley?"
mo, Captain Wallace, mol"
"But she has a hold on you strong
enough to compel you to do such work
as she requires. And yet you have
Cr1Gu To save HE UlSilOIOI-lA any luOA Z
could come to me-
"You saved me, Captain Wallace!"
Mark made sound of incredulity.
"And I have been a gentleman. You
don't know how a man falls, Captain
Wallace"
"Hartley, you haven't answered my
question Now here's another. Why
were you watching Colonel Towards
house the other night?"
"You know that?"
ST followed you here. Tell me the
whole truth about this business. and
I'll stand by you to the end"
'I'll trust you-to the limit-but I
won't tell you, Captain Wallace. Some
day, perhaps, but not now. I'll stand
by you, and I'll fight at your side, sir.
But won't tell you. And that's the
only condition on which I can agree to
what you propose"
"And if we succeed?
"Not IT, but when" cried Hartley,
with a sudden outburst of conviction.
.I'll tell you then-yes, Captain Wal
lace. And till then We'll fight together
to pull down this nest of conspiracy