The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-01-25

him and struck him blow IN the lace
that sent him reelIng backward.
Ada Kenson turned and ran toward
Mark with scream. She did not rec
ognize him. Mark could see that.
The discipline OF lifetime held
Mark steady. He stood confronting
Kellerman, but did not raise hand
even to guard himself. Kellerman
glnred at him In speechless fury. And
even then II seemed little singular
TO Mark that Hartley disappeared so
swiftly and silently that neither the
man nor the woman knew he had been
| there.
Then Kcllerman burst into hysterical
laughter.
"It's the spy from the war depart
ment," he cried. ",rhe fellow we
pitched out OF the army for treachery.
masqueradlng here In uniform. A
blank wall and a firing squad for you
tomorrow, my mani"
Ada Kenson srrang between them.
"ie doesn't mean that" she cried,
peering into Marks face dublously.
She recognized Mark now. but Mark
could see that the recognition meant
little to her probably he had been only
n trivial incident in her career. Ills
ten 70 mel" she whispered In Marks
ear. "He hns been drinking. II will
be nll right. Just go back and keep
this to yourself You'll get fifty
dollar bin by the next post. and ten
every month afterward. 40 long as you
don't see anything. Understand? He
isn't responsible"
Mark turned away in disgust, but he
imagined the warped mind that caught
Mt this hope OF secrecy.
He went back into the kitchen. The
soldiers were still there, one or two
hailed him; the incident had occupied
little mouth nj him from the doorway.
But Mark was searching In the room
for Hartley.
"Your friend went home, think,
monsieur le soldat," said Annette In
banter.
Mark strobe out of the inn without
word. Hartley's disappearance did
not disturb him. Hartley was strange
but he felt that he had relied too much
on Hartley. liz was for him To act. He
would go to the Major In charge of tine
hospital, tell his story, and do the only
thing possible. He had no doubt any
longer that Kellerman and the Kenson
woman were partners In far-reaching
conspiracy against his country, though |
he had never before allowed himself |
10 accept the obvious deductions from |
the Washington episode. His mind |
moved slowly. His purpose had been
to redeem himself. he had thought |
Hartley 6bsessed; now he meant to re-
veal everything.
And suddenly. out of the mist OF
years. he recalled Colonel Howards |
story OF Hampton. Kellerman had
been the chief agent In Hamptons
tragic fall. Suppose Hampton had |
been innocent Suppose that Flea
nor's father had been brave and loyal /
man, whose hldeous ruin and abom-
Unable death might be posthumously
vindicated?
The blood rushed to his head Mt the
thought OF II. The burden OF the
knowledge of her fathers shame. and
of its probable effect on her II ever
she learned had weighed heavily upon
Marks heart since that night In the
tent In Cuba.
Then the blood receded. leaving him
as cold as a stone. For he recalled
Ada Kenson's words to Kellerman. So
the hunter was hard upon the quarry
perhaps he had already shared her.
Eleanor had liked Kellerman. He
forced back his thoughts, strobe
straight to barracks and turned In.
(To be continued)