The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-04-11


ard.
Il don't know how it happened, Col
onel, and l don't care!' he cried,
humping the table. mo great harm
has been done so far, and of course
none of the departmental clerks can
be suspected. But it's got to stop, and
we've got to find out how it originated"
1t was on that night that Mark felt
at the end of his powers.
1t was early, he had dined and was
sitting disconsolately in his apartment; ;
nothing seemed Of any value to him at
that moment, and his thoughts were
ranging round their eternal subject.
Had it been necessary that be should
have treated Mrs. Howard and Ell
eanor boorishly, to protect himself?
He put on his hat and went out,
meaning to pay them a visit, or, at
least, to walk toward their house while
making his decision. He had not de-
cided by the time he reached Massa-
chusetts circle, and, as he stopped in
doubt, he saw man across the road,
staring up at the house.
Of sudden Eleanor's story required
to his mind with vivid force. The man
was obviously watching the house, and
he meant to stay there.
But, as Mark started toward him,
the man seemed to take fear, and
shambled away. Something in his gait
brought back to Marks mind the recol-
lection Of the man whom he had seen
| h0 tfiScncS Ho
And he began to follow him. 1t was
role that he had never played before,
but justified, in his mind, by the neces-
sity Of discovering the fellows identi
| ty. Without any very clear intention
in his mind how he was to accomplish
this, Mark made his way after the soli-
tary figure, keeping well behind it.
It soon became clear that the man,
although he looked like a tramp, had a
definite objective. Mark pursued him
toward Pennsylvania avenue, until he
/ discovered that he was nearing the
least desirable part Of Washington,
whose location, so near the residence
of the chief executive, has always been
the wonder and scandal Of visitors.
|
start bravely in the city and debouch
into the low-lying land in that interme-
diate and hardly reclaimed region bor-
dering the Potomac. The houses here
were old, many appearing vacant and
tumble-down, and for the most part
standing each in a little garden.
Mark was beginning to think of
| 10 oil fhn fy1oi yho
Of pursuit, was about fifty PAGES in
front of him, when suddenly the man
turned in at the tiny garden of an ap-
parently deserted house and knocked
at the door, which was opened almost
Immediately.
Mark heard a subdued scream, and
then the mans voice in angry alterca-
| ton.
| He was talking to the woman who
had opened the door. She looked
about five and thirty years of age. and
her face, distinctly visible against the
light in the hall, was well-bred. if not
attractive. She seemed one Of those
cosmopoltans who frequent the capt.
tai; Mark was still uncertain whether
her house was one of those residences
that are still occupied in this district
by the original owners, or whether she
was the mistress of one Of those gam
bling establishments that flourish of
necessity along the avenues of the
earlier alphabet.
The man seemed to be pleading with
| her, his gestures were growing fran
| Af 1G0
years of age; his face struck Mark
with a certain odd familiarity, though
he had never seen him closely before,
and bore traces of breeding, blurred
either by dissolute habits or by mis-
| fortune.
The woman answered him in tones
Of quick anger, and made gesture of
dismissal. The man held his ground
doggedly, the voices became angrier.
"No! No, tell you!" the woman
cried. II don't know who you arei
VIII you go?"
Suddenly q man came along the
passage behind her, carrying a walk
ing-cane with a heavy handle. He
raised it and brought 1t crashing down
| Ol luS Hedu.
The man fell to the ground, evident
ly half stunned by the blow. The man
with the cane raised it and brought it
down again and again upon the others
head and face, in q succession of sick
ening crashes.
Mark ran to the garden gate. The
man with the stick paused, raised his
head, and looked at him. Mark recog-
nized kellerman. >, AS Kellerman, in
turn, recognized him, an angry sneer
spread over his face.
"My dear Wallace what the dickens
are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Are you trying to kill this manT
asked Mark.
Kellerman seemed nonplussed for
the moment.
II hope I've given him his lesson"
he answered. He came here and de-
manded money, and nearly frightened
Mrs Henson out of her senses. Let
me present you"
Mark looked into the keen, apprais-
ing eyes Of Mrs. Henson with dislike
and disgust.
You'd better let him go, Major Kel-
Ierman," he said. AS he spoke he saw
Mrs. Henson bite her lip vindictively.
"Oh, I'll leave him to you," respond
ed Kellerman airily. You'll excuse me,
Wallace, I'm sure, but Mrs. Kenson's
auto will be here in a few moments"
Mark, hot with indignation, answer
ed nothing, but raised the man from
| Ground and GOT him outside the