The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-01-18


door clicked, the Brlgader ana Colonel
Howard entered
well. Wallace, finished, hopeT'
asked the Brigadlcr with the tordIallty
OF one who has been refreshed by a
good dinner. Let me see I"
Mark turned the leaves nervelessly.
while the Brigadler and Howard stood
silently beside him.
lie reached the end. He had count
ed exactly two hundred, Tint might
have been an error. But the paper
was not there.
lie looked up to see the Brlgadicr
peerlng into HIS face with an extraor-
dinary expression. He heard himself
stainmering. fumbling for words; he
stopped
Colonel Howard sprang forward ana
caught him by the shoulder. "Wnllace,
my dear fellow. pull yourself togcth-
arr he was pleading. whats that
you're sayIng2 Blown out of the win
howl IT'S the heat. slr. He's been
overdoing III"
"Very possibly" said the Brlgader
caustically. "Pray hive a look, then,
Howard. Take your time"
Mark was searching again. He
stopped as they came to the last pa.
per. which was now the two hundred
and third.
TITS no use. Colonel Howard, he
cried. ut has gone out Of the win
dow. / was called out. When / came
back the fan wns turned on my desk
and the papers were blowing about
the room. Somebody--perhnps the
mechanism slipped. l don't know. I'm
tlrcd--riy God, how tired ! amw
The Colonel was pushing him into
n chair. He heard the stormifg voice
OF the Brlgadier a long distance awny.
Howard was expostulating. They were
going through tbe papers again. A
clerk had been called In. Mark nchrd
something about searching the streets.
Somebody was telephonIng. Aud,
above NIL, he was conscious OF Keller
man In the next room long before ne
opened the glass door and entered.
He was alone. and struggling back
into the realization OF his situation.
kellerman's threat and his refusal 10
consider IL, the visit of Hartley, be-
gan to link themselves Into the chain
OF the devilish conspiracy. He rose
unsteadily TO his feet, wiplng the sweat
from his forehead. Colonel Howard
was coming through the open doorway
from Kellerman's room.
"SIt down, Wallace" he said grave
ly. "Fve been talking to the BrigadIer.
or, rather. he has been talking to me.
You must consider yourself under ar
rest In your quarters. Now, how did
this damned thing hnppenT
Mark explained as lamely, as one
who had heard excuses OF all kinds !
from soldiers brought before him for /
various offenses during his term of 1
service, and waved them aside.
"You know what tlas means. Wal 4
laceT asked the Colonel In kindly,
serious tone.
''New plans"
"Yes. but to your
II guess so, Colonel Howard. And
I'd like to hurry II through. or course
shall want It over. I'll go home now,
and"
"Stopp Colonel. Howard's chal-
Ienge had triumphaf ring TO II. He
placed his hands on Marks-shoulders
and swung him round. looking straight
INTO his eyes. "Tbank God for that,
Mark I" he cried. II fought the Briga-
1ier over you, and I'll fight him to the
end OF time. i told him II was "a
damned lie. I'll swear TO IT,"
"What do you mean, sir7"
"Thnt you are frequenter OF gam
bling houses, Wallace. That's the
story that they have been putting over
IN him. You know whom mean by
they Washington's swimming with
hat crooked gang, and that story
we'll, they managed 10 start that In
circulation and saw that IL reached the
3rigadier's ears. He heard that you
we're In fight outside Mrs. Kenson's
,lace In the small hours this morning.
lark, I'll see you through this.
Impulslvely the kindly old man start
ID toward the door. He had almost
cached II when Wallace found his I
ongue.
"stopW {
The colonel halted, one hand still
utstretched toward the door. "Ich,
ny b0yT he asked.
"One moment, sir ! cannot let you :
o to the Brigadler. have never been {
inside gambling house In my life, but
was outside Mrs. Kenson's place last {
light" j
A sudden fecbleness seemed to come I
yer the Colonel. u
"Tell me about II, Wallace. Tell me @
hy you went there. You know her,
leni Don't you know that she's" q
II know nothing about her, sir. h
Ierely ask you not TO go to the Brig
der. i shall proceed to my quar- 8
RS"
"You uAderstand there will be a !
,sItMaEtIair J
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