The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-01-17

or as nearly as possible 30, by
IA root OF heavy beams, sandbags
and corrugated steel, bore the Red
Cross upon the door. Inside q nuln-
Der Of stretcher bearers were lounging.
The sergeant halted his men aud
stepped into a smaller dugout beside
it. In u minute he came out and beck
oned to Mark to follow him. Mark
entered, to find himself In the pres
ence OF the captain commanding the
Stretcher bearers company. and-Kel-
herman. He saluted and stood to at
t%cntion. watching Kellerman's eyes
wander over him appraisingly.
orderly, where's the nan who came
with your inquired the Captain
brislly.
"He disappeared on the way up, SIR"
answered Mark.
what do you mean by disappeared?
Did you see him go back2 Or was he
with you one minute and gone the
nexty
II thought he was behind me, sir. /
didn't see him 60, or know anything
about It."
The Captain. who had been holding
the receiver OF his telephone, and evil
IDENTITY waiting for his connection. got
1t. Mark heard him sending out q gen.
eral notice Of the absent man. He
| gave his number, and the name "Har-
ley"
No doubt he had mistaken It rs he
received it by telephone from the hos
pital that morning.
you'll parade before me tomorrow
morning" said Captain Keyes to the
sergeant. It'll then you are under
open arrest"
The sergeant saluted. Fright urn !"
he said to Mark.
"Wait q minute" i~nterposed Keller
man. I'D like to have a few words
with this man. Captain Reyes"
by all means. sir" replied the Cap
tain, rising.
i He strolled, humming, to the door
Of the dugout. leaving Kellernan and
Mark together.
$50 you've enlisted under the name
Weston7' inquired Kellerman.
THAT Is my. name. SIR"
ut was q shock to me yesterday.
Wallace. / never expected II. Your
disappearance stirred Washington a
good deal. The war Office would have
exonerated you"
In spite of his loathing Of the man,
Mark felt his heart begin to hammer
with hope. He looked at Kellernan
with pathos In his eyes he could not
hide his feelings; he was cropping amid
the ruins OF his world and trying to
reconstruct them.
1--WE no doubt you misunderstood
me-" said Kellerman. NY association
with the Henson woman was q part Of
my oflcial duties-the most distasteful
part. but one that had to be carried
out You and l were the victims Of an
acute piece Of trickery. That fan was
wired.s
"From your room. dr." said Mark.
From my room." answered Keller
man. "And. no doubt, By the Henson
woman's agent. that spy who called to
. you ut the war ONCE the same
morning. Colonel Howard knows all
about It. He means to stand by you.
He heard you had enlisted, but he did
not know you were In the medical
corps, nor under an alias. He Is at
the base now. Wallace. When he comes
up next week I shall make It my bust
ness to see him about you"
mo. SIR" gaspea Mark. ut doesn't
matter now"
1T matters to me. II not to yourself.
Wallace. / cannot rid myself Of the
sense Of partial responsibility. And
as for what happened last night. you
took me of my guard. I'll be frank
with you. It was my duty to interest
the Henson woman l succeeded too
well. She followed me here. l couldn't
bring myself to denounce her. For
that I have placed my own position
In jeopardy. When You appeared
did not know what to do or say"
'You found . course OF action" an
swered Mark. torn between the desire
to return blow for blow and to do Jus.
tice to Kellerman. whose story left
him doubtful and wondering.
"Will you accept my frank apol.
ogy!" asked Kellerman, extending his
hand.
Mark took Il. II will, Major Keller.
man." he answered.
And he made his way to the door Of
the dugout, with . feeling Of warmth
In his heart such n he had not known
L Dn1 vnanv : month un hAllnvAd Knl
lerman-and yet but he fought
down his instinct and still believed
him.
cAApreR Vii.