The Adair County news., 1918-11-13


She started. "You mean that you
didn't want to Gomez" she asked.
II did want to. But have so many
duties"
"Thank you. That's quite enough,
Captain Wallace. My conduct in in
truding on such busy man has been
quite inexcusable. Good day, Captain
Wallace"
She made a hooking little bow and
went toward her cab. She stopped and
looked back. The brief anger was
ended. But Mark was already free
from that intolerable interview and
stumbling homeward.
He let himself in, wrote out his res
ignation, and mailed it.
AS he paced his room, bordering
over the situation, it seemed to him
that the key to the mystery lay with
Hartley. Even yet he had not allowed
himself to believe Kellerman a traitor.
But it was essential that he should
find Hartley, and insist upon confess
sion, both of his motives in watching
the Colonels house, and of those that
had brought him to the war depart
ment.
Suddenly the telephone interrupted
his meditations. A woman's voice at
the other end was asking for him.
"Are you quite sure you are Captain
Mark Wallace?" it inquired, when he
had stated his identity.
81 am as sure as have ever been,"
answered Mark.
"Ah, now 1 recognize you," said the
strange voice in a merry ripple of
laughter. Sand you don't know who
i ann"
eff you will state your name" be-
gan Mark patiently.
Someone who knows that you are
in trouble and wants to help you. I'm
afraid you won't let me. You seemed
to be prejudiced against me when we
met before. Well, / am Ada HENSON"
Mark uttered an angry exclamation,
which he instantly checked. This
might prove the key that he was seek
ing.
"Come to my house at nine o'clock
tOhlShl, JOu arc Ill 0lOs 4Ou
will meet nobody but me-"
1t had been in Marks mind to look
for Hartley in that neighborhood.
"What do you say, Captain Wal
lace? 1 can help you very much in
deed, and perhaps put things right for
you. 1 am in a position to know a
good deal of what is happening behind
the scenes"
Mark felt his brain grow as cool as
ice. "I'll come, Mrs. HENSON" he an
swered crisply, and hung up the re-
ceiver.
He consoled himself with the re1ec-
ton that he had, at least, nothing to
lose. He waited calmly for the ap-
pOintment, and arrived outside the
house promptly. There was no sign
of Hartley in the neighborhood.
At his ring Mrs. Henson herself
opened the door, smiled, and showed
him into well-furnished little parlor.
"Sit down, Captain Wallace" she
said, indicating a chair.
you'll wonder who I am and why
asked you to come here" said Mrs.
Henson. "Well, I happen to know
quite good deal about you, Captain
Wallace. All your history, in fact,
from the time you entered West
Point. 1t is part of my business to
know these things"
Mark bowed and waited, expecting
something sensational. He was aston
ished beyond his expectation, however.
by Mrs. Kensons next words.
''Your long and distasteful stay in
the West, Captain Wallace, was not
wholly the fortune of the military
service" she said. SIT was expedient
that you should stay there, On account
of your unfortunate mistake in adopt
ing the late Charles Hampton's child"
Mark rose in protest, collected him
self, and sat down again.,
''In fact, dear Captain Wallace, you
have been the victim of circum-
stances" went on Mrs. Henson. 81
suppose you know that the world has
changed a good deal during your fif-
teen years of exile? Well, this war,
for example. It's q shocking rever-
sion to barbarism, the nations flying
at each others threats, when their diff
ficulties could have been adjusted by
little frank diplomacy. 1t was a great
blow to the financial interests that are
working to reconcile the nations and
to develop the worlds resources. They
would do all possible to end it. I am
working for them here. / am not tell
ing you any secret, Captain Wallace,
because everybody in Washington
knows it. I represent the interna-
tional peace committee, and 1 have
quite good deal of influence among
the senators and representatives
principally the Western ones, Cap
TAIN"
The frankness and audacity of the
disclosure astounded Mark. So this
was one center of ''they," as Colonel
Howard had called the nucleus Of Teu-
tonic spies and agents in America.
"We are trying our hardest to pre-
vent America from being dragged into