The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-05-02

Soii AuSeleu, anu lie "euL Oh Will
his scrubbing. Somehow he did not
want to meet her eyes.
She came toward him and stood near
him, by the table. Something splashed
down to the fioor-then something else
Mark raised his head. They were
tears, and others followed them down
the nursing sisters face. The girl was
Eleanor.
She put out her hands blindly. "Oh,
Captain Mark!" she whispered.
Mark felt himself beginning to
shake; fate seemed to have played a
| wretched trick on him just then.
| ''Why, Captain Mark! Why-why
did you do this?" asked Eleanor.
"Hey, Weston" !" called his fellow or
derly from the door Of the sterilizing
room; and then, seeing him with the
! sister, withdrew.
| "You heard my name?" asked Mark.
IT heard it, Captain Mark. Won't
you tell me what it means, what it all
means?"
"What it all means?" he repeated
vaguely. wondering at the concern on
her face.
| "Why you disappeared as you did
from Washington. I knew that you
had applied for leave Of absence, be-
cause you had overworked in the hot
weather. But you - never came
back" Her voice broke into a sob.
| 1.-The Colonel didn't think it strange.
He wouldn't admit that there was any
reason, except that you must have
gone back to your regiment. Did you
and he quarrel, Captain Mark? It's
unthinkable. I could learn nothing
about you, but Major Kellerman had
said you were tired Of the work and
might have got some appointment out
Of the service. Their tales were con-
ficting. And you weren't on the army
list any more. Won't you tell me. Just
because-you know-because-"
Mark could hardly restrain his feel.
ing.
"Ill tell you," said Mark, raising his
eyes. II was accused of treachery, of
betraying secrets to enemies Of my
country"
Eleanor laughed in little, mirth.
less voice. You're still the same
Uncle Mark" she whispered. Did you
think would believe that?'
"It was not true" cried Mark, net
tied and desperate. But it was found
that 1 frequented gambling houses
you are SO fond Of money, Uncle
Mark"
81 wanted money. You were rich
and 1 wanted your esteem. I wanted
to move in your circles, to win youl
favor, as others could"
She gasped and grew red; he saw
that his arrow had gone home. ant
went on pitilessly.
"When I was at your reception yoI
had smiles for everyone
That's enough, Captain Wallace
she said, with an indrawn breath. "Yol
insulted me the last time we met, yol
know, or probably have forgotten. L
l see that all my thoughts of yol
were wrong. ]. was always burden
And when you didn't write so man.
years, and when you didn't come t,
see me, thought-oh. I'll tell you now
since you have humiliated me as deep
ly as it is possible to humiliate
5 woman. I thought you stayed ava,
and kept away because you liked me
: and because you were afraid that
might come to care for you, and ruiz
2 my prospects among the rich youn
officers. I thought it was a sort O
! absurd, misplaced, quixotic chivalry
D Captain Wallace"
Wallace was choking. So she ha
j knownI
2 But he had won his miserable game
as he realized from her next words:
< "It was a foolish idea, Captain Wa
: lace, and now I've given it up, and
5 know that men aren't SO idealistic an
chivalrous as 1 have imagined then
|. But"-she bent forWard-'I don't be
Iieve you are traitor. Captain Mark !!
e And over her head Mark saw the ta
y figure of Kellerman in the doorway.
o The recognition was mutual and II
stantaneous. Kellerman's surprise wa
e changing into a sneering chaAleng
when Eleanor turned, saw the new
|. conner, and, with a superb effort Q
:, will, smiled at him.
e $50 see you got here, Sister How
ard" said Kellerman, with a force
S laugh.
f "Just in time" answered the cir
e "Haye you come to order us all up t
f the trenches"
e "Some of you, but not the Ladies
t No, I'm attending the General on hi
d tour of inspection of the lines"
The talk grew fndistinct as the
e drifted away. Mark, staring afte