The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-01-03
CHAPTER XII.

SlIOue lONuTd EtaDieS. ne
had an intense longing for the lights
and comfort of the little inn. But he
had not gone more than a hundred
PAGES when Hartley hailed him.
Going into Etaples?" he asked. ''Do
you mind my going with you?"
Frankly, yes, Hartley" answered
| Mark. you won't mind my saying
so? l want to be alone after"
II know, old man." said Hartley.
drawing back. Sorry if l bothered
you"
But Mark swung round on him.
Hartley, answer me one question" he
said. "What has Miss Howard ever
had to do with you? Why have you
been watching her for six or seven
years?"
Hartley began to walk along the
road at Marks side. He made a curl
Gus gulping sound before he answered.
HAS it occurred to you, Mark, that
the HENSON woman has been operating
in Washington for good time now"
he asked
Il suppose So" Mark answered.
You know everything was prepared
for years before the war began. The
system had qualifications in every de-
partment of the government. You know
Colonel Howard was in touch with it
as far back as the Cuban warp
Good Lord, yes, but"
| And man is only a pawn in such
game. Good God, don't question me-
| Mark I've been a tool of hers, but
I'll swear that / never worked against
| the government / learned little by
| little of the whole accurSed nest of
spies. / Obeyed their orders because
well, 1 can't tell you now-but / worked
against them too. I've done them more
harm than good 1 had my motives
selfish ones, despicable, perhaps; but
was never a traitor. Good God, Mark,
haven't you seen how your faith in me
has begun to make a man of me?"
Mark took Hartley's hand and
gripped it. 1t was the best and the
only possible answer. In their tacit
understanding they went on toward
the inn together.
Outside the inn they saw an auto.
with a soldier chauffeur in charge.
Hartley gripped Marks arm.
"DO you know whose that is?" he
whispered. 'Kellerman's -
The landlady came TO the door.
"Bonsoir. meSsieurs," she said Smil-
ing. This way tonight, If you please"
She led them round by the SIDE into
the kitchen, where they found half a
dozen prlvates drinking light wine and
teasing the landlady's daughter as she
served them.
There was nothing in this to the
men; they were often turned out of
the dining room-parlor when officers
put in an appearance. But-this was
kollermanl Mark looked at Hartley
and saw intense excitement on his face,
which he was trying most evidently to
restrain
He ordered beer of Annette and fol-
lowed her toward the clubhouse in
which the liquor was stored. The girl
was a friend of his. perhaps because.
more serious than the rest, he treated
her with less badinage than was Gus
tomary among the soldiers. AS she
moved out of the lighted room into the
shadows outside the merriment fell
like a mask from her face
what is it. Annette?" asked Mark
"Ah. monsieur it is tragic,'' said the
girl, pausing at the clubhouse door.
'She is one of my countrywomen. The
accent is of the south, or some out
landish part, but she is French-and
she has come a long way to meet him,
and he will not have anything 70 do
with her. How did she get through
the lineS?"
"Who, Annette?"
1.-The lady with the American officer.
Listen. monsieur Listen. them
They were standing in front of the
clubhouse, which was set near an angle
of the old-fashioned building between
the parlor and the kitchen. They
could hear the imploring voice of the |
woman, and the subdued answers of
Kellerman.
Then, elusive against the dark angle |
of the building Mark perceived Hart |
ley. He was standing under the high |
sill of the window, in such a way that |
Mark thought he could see through the |
chink between the sill and the lower
edge of the blind. Eavesdropping as
he evidently was. Mark felt that some |
thing justified his presence there.
Annette perceived him at the same /
moment She started, and then !
shrugged her shoulders.
'Eh bien. monsieur, it is their af- /
fair,' she said lightly, and went into |
the clubhouse. She was too wise to In /
terfere with her customers. Mark |
hardly noticed her departure. He was /
watching Hartley.
Suddenly the door opened ard the
woman came down the steps that led
into the little vineyard behind the inn.
She raised her heavy veil to dab /
ut her eyes. and at that |
moment Mark recognized Mrs. Henson.
He remained rooted TO the ground /
in astonishment. But it was more
than that; he felt suddenly trapped,
as if the woman's presence there was
vitality connected with his own prob
lens, as If be were the victim of some
sar-rea ching scheme with which he
could not graphic.
. minute later kellermsr sppeared i