The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-03-08

captain Wallacel Get upi Ga
you stand? Come with mel
| Mark opened his eyes and groane6
| 1t was pitch dark, and he could Sc
nothing. but he knew the voice 70
| Hartley's.
"Where am II" he muttered, trying
to rise and sinking back again.
I'm the Henson house. Be quick
There! Listen!"
Outside there was the confused muir
muir of voices, above which came tn,
sound Of a crisp. command. TheI
some implement fell heavily agains
the door of the house, splintering 1t
Again the cries broke out.
"Try again." muttered Hartley II
desperation. "There's a door into the
empty house next door, through the
cellar. The police don't know of it
You must get away. You must gel
awayw
Mark tried again, and this time man
aged to rise.
Hartley caught Mark by the arm and
guided his unsteady footsteps to the
door. They gained the passage
and Hartley guided Mark toward the
head of the basement steps, which they
reached just as the front door fell liz
under the hatchets of the raiders.
They scuttled down the stairs as the
hall became filled with the shouting Do
licemen.
Before the first Of the raiders set his
| foot upon the stone stairs Hartley had
| found door in the darkness, opened
it, and pushed Mark through, following
Immediately. He shut the door softly
behind him. They were in the base
ment of the adjoining house.
"We're safe now" said Hartley in a
whisper. "You'd better rest, Captain
Wallace"
you're Hartley" muttered Mark,
sitting down and trying in vain to dis
Germ something Of the others face
through the gloom. "What happened.
and how did you come on the scene?"
"Good God forgive mel" moaned
Hartley, suddenly breaking into hys-
terical sobbing, as on the former night.
1--we ruined you, Captain Wallace.
What else could I do?"
$50 you were in that plot, eh?' asked
Mark, wondering that he felt SO little
anger. swell, it was clear enough, but
it doesn't matter now"
1T matters everything" answered
Hartley. In a vehement whisper. ''They
tricked me into it. didn't know what
their scheme was when agreed to get
you out Of the room. But I found out
later. And had suspected. God, Cap
tain Wallace, to think I found that
dOorl
''Never mind" said Mark soothingly,
listening to the stamping Of the raiders
in the next house overhead. "What
more do you known"
II knew that they wouldn't be salts
fed with that, Sir. They"
zone moment. Who is they Hart
leyr
They" repeated Hartley vim
dictively. "Those devils that make |
pawns Of men. They meant to clinch |
their dirty work one way or another.
They meant to buy you, after running
you, and fashion you to their dirty
work. II they couldn't do that they
were going to"
Murder me?
"No, sir. Discredit you so that moth
Ing you could say would be listened to.
"That's what they meant to do. It
vas who was told to give the tip to
he police that there was gambling
lere. They thought the place was
'losed-and it was. But they wanted
he police to find you here, and arrest
'ou. so that the story might get into
he newspapers, and finish you-finish
'Ou with the war department, and with
Hiss Howard"
"And what did you expect to get out 1
t 1t, Hartley?" asked Mark.
He heard the man catch at his .
reath.
"She wasn't your wife, Hartley?"
mo, Captain Wallace, mol" 1t
"But she has hold on you strong
nOugh to compel you to do such work +
she requires. And yet you have 6
led to save me dishonor-if any more +
ould come to me-" !;
"You saved me, Captain Wallacep y
Mark made a sound of incredulity.
"And have been a gentleman. You +
ont know how a man falls, Captain
4
Hartley, you haven't answered my q
lestiOn. Now here's another. Why
ere you watching Colonel Towards +
ouse the other night?' 4
'You know thatf" ),
II followed you here. Tell me the
hole truth about this business. and H
I stand by you to the end" II
'T1l trust you-to the limit-but I II
ont tell you, Captain Wallace. Some II
y, perhaps, but not now. I'll stand II
: you, and I'll fight at your side, sir. III
Ut / won't tell you. And that's the III
lly condition on which I can agree to II
hat you propose"
sand il We succeed-Y
"Not it, but when" cried Hartley,
til sudden outburst Of conviction.
II tell you then-yes, Captain Wal
&c. And till then we'll fight together m
pull down this nest of conspiracy es
d prove your innocence to the nt
)rld." DC