The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-01-08

heilerman, looking at Mark.
Mark, unable to reply, pointed toward
the opening of the recess. Kellerman
turned and strobe toward it. Then he
turned.
'Ihere's one thing more to say" he
SAID. your action in dismissing me.
Miss Howard, savors of the romantic
drama. Your life has been a romantic
one, with certain high-strung ideal
Ism In 1t, due to the circumstances of
your upbringing. It was that, I be-
leve, which made you think it your
duty to follow your adopted fathers
unit to the front. I think you ought to
know who you are. Your father died
on the battlefield of Santiago. He was
fugitive from justice. He was the
notorious Hampton"
Mark uttered cry. He sprang to-
ward kellerman, but Kellerman dealt
him blow that sent him stumbling
among the bricks.
That's lie, Kellerman !" said Colo
mel Howard quietly.
The old Colonel's eyes were wide
open. He laid his hands laboriouslv
upon the edge Of the brick wall and.
with a great effort, raised himself to
his feet.
That's lie," he repeated
1T is no lie, Colonel Howard. You
told the whole story to Captain WAL
lace in the hospital tent. Never mind
how know, know"
"You damned, dirty spy!" said the
old Colonel.
"A confession" answered Kellerman
dandy. "Your words were strong
ones, Colonel Howard. Deny them If
you can. You said, "A thousand years
OF hell wouldn't atone for that crime
You said it was calculated. cold
FLOODED deliberation.' You said, The
case against Hampton was absolutely
proven. He was to have been hanged
as soon as we captured Santiago. He
was born rotten. He sold his country
to pay his gambling debts And you
called him by the worst name one man
can call another. That was why YOU
tried to persuade Mark Wallace not to
adopt Hampton's child. Like father.
like daughter"
He swung round upon Eleanor. and
for the first time seemed to lose his
self-control.
'That's who you are ~ he cried. saThe
child of a wretched traitor, who worked
In the war department with Colonel
Howard and me, a man without honor.
entangled with a wretched woman spy.
who sold our secrets. And that man
your adopted father, whom you love
and revere, spied on him in turn.
watched him, read his letters, went
through his pockets, shared him.
trapped him, brought him to his de-
serts-and adopted you"
Eleanor staggered toward the Colo
mel, her arms raised imploringly. and
cried in choking voice:
Say it's untrue! Only say that it's
untruew
Its damned lie," said the Colonel.
but there was not the least conviction |
In his voice.
Tell me the truth !"
Its true, then-it's more or less
true" said Howard YEARLY.
Its not true!" shouted Mark. IRE
member, Colonel, the mans face had
been practically blown away. How do
We know that it was Hampton who
vas with the child? 1t might have
been another. We don't know for sure.
md we can't know. I've never believed
t. l wouldn't ever dare to let myself
believe it."
"You found his papers," said Keller
nan.
Nobody answered him. Eleanor went
lp to Mark and raised her white face
o his. "Tell me what you think, Cap
ain Mark" she pleaded.
And once more Mark was mute. She
cad his face as If by inches. She
urned toward Kellerman. snow will
ou gO?" she asked.
kellerman saluted her with mock
ormality. "I'll CO." he said, ''but he's
pent his chance. A spy's daughter
nd a spy's-" '
The ambulance bearers appeared at
he entrance to the recess. They bore
stretcher. Propped up in 1t, swathed !
4 a bloody clout of bandages, was l
Hartley.
There he isl" he cried, pointing his !,
and in triumph. II knew he'd come
MS way. He's here, sir !" he cried to
ome one outside the orifice.
The stretcher bearers set down their
urden on ledge Of the wall. Into
lie little place strobe the General.
His appearance there exercised a (,
aralyzing effect upon them all. KEEL =
rman was the first to recover his self a
He saluted stiffiy.
This man." he said, pointing to o
lark. lis the prisoner who was to have n
cen executed this morning." n
The General, without a word, strobe q
ward Mark and clasped him by the Il
md.
kellerman gulped and moved toward n
le entrance for the last time. The
eneral turned.
Halt, sir!" he commanded. Colonel
oward. will you have the goodness to {.