The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-03-20

Mark. unable to reply. pointed toward
the opening Of the recess. Keilerman
turned and strobe toward Il. Then he
turned.
"There's one thing more TO say" he
said. "Your action In dismissing me,
Miss Howard, savors Of the romantic
drama. Your life has been romantic
one, with a certain high-strung ideal
Ism In II. due to the circumstances of
your upbringlng. It was that, I be-
leve which made you think II your
duty to follow your adopted fathers
unit to the front. I think you ought to
know who you are. Your father died
on the battlefield Of Santiago. He was
fugitive from Jsstice. He was the
notorious Hampton"
Mark uttered cry. H. sprang to-
ward Kellerman, but Kellerman dealt
him blow that sent him stumbling
among the bricks.
"That's lie. Kellerman I" said Colo
mel Howard quietly.
The old Colonel's eyes were wide
open. He laid his hands laboriousIy
upon the edge Of the brick wall and,
with great effort, raised himself to
his feet.
THAT'S lle," he repeated
1T Is no lie, Colonel Howard. You
told the whole story to Captain Wal
lace In the hospital tent. Never mind
how know. know"
"You damned, dirty spy" said the
old Colonel.
"A confession" answered Kellerman
blandly. "Your words were strong
ones. Colonel Howard. Deny them IL
you can. You said. "A thousand years
Of hell wouldn't atone for that crime
You said 1t was calculated, cold
blooded dellberation.' You said, "The
case against Hampton was absolutely
proven. He was to have been hanged
as soon as we captured Santiago. He
was born rotten. He sold his country
to pay his gambling debts And you
called him BY the worst name one man
can Gull another. That was why you
tried to persuade Mark Wallace not to
adopt Hampton's child. Like father,
like daughter"
He swung round upon Eleanor, and
for the first timc seemed to lose his
self-contrOl.
"Thnt's who you are I" he cried. 'The
child Of a wretched traitor, who worked
In the war department with Colonel
Howard and me, a man without honor.
entangled with wretched woman spy,
who sold our secrets. Ars that man
your adopted father, wh0xs you love
and revere. spled on him in turn,
watched him. read his letters, weot
through his pockets, shared him,
trapped him, brought him to his de-
serts--and adopted you"
Eleanor staggered toward ,he Colo
mel, her arms raised imploringly. and
cried In choking voice:
"Say It's untruel Only say that it's
untrue!
ITS damned lle," said the Colonel
but there was not the least conviction
In his voice.
"Tcll me the TRUTH"
ITS true. then-it's more or less
true" said Howard wearily.
IT'S not true!" shouted Mark. "Re
member, Colonel, the mans face had
been practically blown away. How do
we know that II was Hampton who
was with the child? Il might have
been another. We don't know for sure.
and we can't know. I've never believed
1t. I wouldn't ever dare to let myself
believe It."
"You found his papers," said Keller
man.
Nobody answered him. Eleanor went
up to Mark and raised her white face
to his. "Tell me what you think. Cap
tain Mark" she pleaded.
And once more Mark was mute. She
read his face as II by inches. She
turned toward Kellerman. Snow will
you go?" she asked.
Kellerman saluted her with mock |
formality. "I'll CO." he said. "but he's
spent his chance. A spy's daughter
and spy's-"
The ambulance bearers appeared at
the entrance TO the recess. They bore
strstcher. Propped up In II, swathed |
IN bloody clout Of bandages, was
"There he Isl" he cried. pointing his
hand In triumph. II knew he'd come
his way. He's here, sir |" ne cried to
some one outside the orifice.
The stretcher bearers set down their
burden on ledge Of the wall. Into
he little place strobe the General.
His appearance there exercised a
effect upon them all. KEEL
erman was the FIRST to recover his self
He saluted stiffiy.
"This man." he said. pointing to
Mark, "is the prisoner who was to have
been executed this morning."
The General. without a word, strodc
oward Mark and clasped him by the
iand.
Kellerman gulped and moved toward
he entrance for the last time. The