Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-01-02

or as nearly as possible so, by
a roof of heavy beams, sandbags
and corrugated steel, bore the Red
Cross upon the door. Inside mum
Der of stretcher bearers were 1oungIng
The sergeant halted his men and
stepped into a smaller dugout beside
it, In minute he came out and beck
oned to Mark to follow him. Mark
entered, to find himself in the pres
ence of the captain commanding the
stretcher bearers company, and-KeI
1erman- He sa1uted and stood to at
tention, watching Kellerman's eyes
wander over him appraisingly.
Orderly, where's the man who came
with your inquired the Captain
briskly.
4tHe disappeared on the way up. SIR .
answered Mark.
@'What do you mean by disappeared!
Did you see him go back? Or was he
with you one minute and gone the
next?''
81 thought he was behind me, sir. ]
didn't see him go, or know anything
about it"
The Captain, who had been holding
the receiver of his telephone, and evil
IDENTIFY waiting for his connection, got
it. Mark heard him sending out gen
eraI notice of the absent man. He
gave his number, and the name "Har-
ley
received it by telephone from the hos
pita1 that morning.
you'll parade before me tomorrow
morning." said Captain Keyes to the
sergeant. It'll then you are under
open arrest
The sergeant SaIuted. fright turn i''
he said to Mark.
'Wait a minute fnterposed Keller
man. I'D like to have a few words
with this man, Captain Keyes-''
''By all means, SIR replied the Cap
tain, rising.
of the dugout, leaving Kellerman and
Mark together.
$50 you've enlisted under the name
Weston?" inquired Ke1lerman.
'That is my name, SIR
ut was shock to me yesterday,
disappearance stirred Washington a
good deal The war Office would have
exonerated you
In spite of his 1oathing of the man,
Mark felt his heart begin to hammer
with hope. He looked at Kel1erman
with pathos in his eyes; he could not
hide his feelings; he was cropping amid
the ruins of his world and trying to
reconstruct them.
give no doubt you misunderstood
me- said Kellerman. ''My association
with the Henson woman was a part of
part, but one that had to be carried
out. You and were the victims Of an
acute piece of trickery. That fan was
wired"
"From your room, sir,'' said Mark.
"F'rom my room,' answered Keller
man. +And, no doubt, by the HENSON
woman'S agent, that spy who called to
see you at the war office the same
morning. Colonel Howard knows all
about it, He means to stand by you.
He heard you had enlisted, but he did
not know you were In the medical
corps, nor under an alias. He is at
the base now, Wallace. When he comes
up next week I shall make it my bust
ness to see him about you"
mo, SIR gasped Mark. eft doesn' t
matter now"
''It matters to me, If not to yourself,
Wallace. I cannot rid myself of the
sense of partial responsibility. And
. as for what happened last night. you
took me off my guard. I'll be frank
with you. 1t was my duty to interest
the Henson woman. succeeded too
well. She followed me here. I cou1dn' t
bring myself to denounce her For
that 1 have placed my own position
in jeopardy. When you appeared ]
did not know what to do or say
"You found course of action" an
swered Mark, torn between the desire
to return blow for blow and to do JUS
tice to Ke1lerman, whose story left
him doubtful and wondering
''WiIl you accept my frank apol-
ogy?'' asked Kel1erman, extending his
hand.
Mark took it. ST will, Major Keller
man. he answered.
And he made his way to the door of
the dugout, with a feeling of warmth
in his heart such as he had not known
for many a month. He believed KEEL
Tor nd hT1f he
down his instinct and still believed
him.
CHAPTER XIII.