The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-02-13

through the clerks room and into the
anteroom. Hartley was standing be-
side the window. He looked up sheep
ishly as Mark entered.
"Wellr asked Mark crisply.
Hartley grinned. II didn't take the
cups or the picture. Captain Wallace"
he said.
"well. what about 1T What can I
do for your
"Why, IL wanted to tell you a.
much. Captain Wallace. I've sunk low,
but not to theft. Only didn't feel I
could stay"
''Good Lord. man. IL that all you
have come to tell mer'
swell, you see-there WIS something
else, but stammered Hartley.
'Out with It, theni"
II wanted to thank you for what
you did for me. and"
The man seemed to be trying to spin
out the interview for some indefinite
purpose. Mark turned on his heel.
His temper was not Of the best just
then, and Hartley was the last man
IN the world whom he wanted to see.
"All right" he answered. "Steer
clear of that woman-of Mrs. Henson,
Hartley. It's evident that she doesn't
teciprocate your feelings, or whatever
they are. and she seems to have some
dangerous friends about her."
He relented suddenly, and. going
forward, clopped the man on the shoul-
der.
IT 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 a cur, Captain Wallacei" he
cried. I'll"
"That's all right. Hartley. But, by
the way, who told you my namer
Captain Wallace. don't ask me that
Go backl Never mind mel Go back
into your Office at oncew cried Hart
ley.
He broke past Mark with a 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 a furious
gust Of wind. The mobilization papers
were whlrling on his desk in front OF
the open window.
The circular fan, which had beer
distributing a gentle breeze impair
tally from side to side, now poured
its current of air Immediately upor
Marks desk. The rotary movement
had been stopped. and It had been Gel
to maximum speed.
And this was not the small fan Gus
tomarily In use in the little Office. bu
q large one from the clerks room.
When Mark had left to Interview
Hartley. he had seen Kellerman a
work through the glass door that con
nected their two Offices. Now Keller
mans desk was vncant.
Mark slammed down the window
there were two locks. and Mark an,
Kellerman had each key. Nobod,
could have entered.
But Mark was positive that Keller
man had set the fan. 1t stood on |
shelf against the partition. Looking
up, Mark saw that there was q tin,
|, hole Immediately behind It, larg
enough to permit an inserted wire /
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 q gasp Of rage Mark hastil
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 noor wae httere
With them