The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-02-27


II think you are mistaken, sir" he
answered quietly.
The surgeon searched his face, and,
like decent man, admitted his error.
"Another poor devil gone down." he
thought, as he turned to his work.
There were three more operations
following, and Mark sighed with relief
as the last man was carried away. He
took scrubbing brush and bar of
soap and kneeled down to clean the
floor, while his fellow attendant
secured the splashed table and carried
away the towels.
Mark was conscious that the nurse
still fingered, and he went on with
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 floor-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 bllndly. "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, ,Westonl" 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.
II heard 1t. Captain Mark. Won't
you tell me what 1t means. what it oil
means?"
"What 1t all means7" 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 sob.
''The Colonel didn't think 1t strange.
He wouldn't admit that there was any
reason. except that you must have
gono back to your regiment. Did you
and he quarrel, Captain Mark? It's
! unthinkable. / could learn nothing
about you. but Major Kellerman had
said you were tired Of the work and
might have got some appointment oui
of the service. Their tales were con-
fiicting. 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.
"rll tell you," said Mark. raising his
eyes. ~ was accused Of treachery, OF
betraying secrets to enemies Of my
country"
Eleanor laughed In a little. mirth
less voice. "You're still the same
Uncle Mark" she whispered. did yor
think would believe that?"
: 'It was not true" cried Mark, net
tied and desperate. "But 1t was fount
that ! frequented gambling houses
"You are SO fond Of money. Uncl'
Mark!"
~ wanted money. You were rich
and 1 wanted your esteem. wantet
to move In your circles, to win you
favor, as others could"
s She gasped and grew red; he saw
that his arrow had gone home. ant
: went on pitilessly.
"When l was at your reception yo'
e had smiles for everyone"
"Thats enough, Captain Wallace,
q she said, with an indrawn breath. "Yol
o insulted me the last time we met, yol
know. or probably have forgotten. J.
d l see that oil my thoughts Of yol
q were wrong. was always a burden
d And when you didn't write SO man
k years, and when you didn't come t
= see me, thought-oh. I'll tell you now
IS since you have Inundated me as deer
ly as It Is possible to humillate
q. woman. l thought you stayed ava
and kept away because you liked ma
le and because you were afraid that
" might come to care Tor you. and rui