The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-01-10

doctors from an Arizona town, whom
ne had dined at the mess.
Il think You are mistaken, sir" he
answered quietly.
The surgeon searched his face, and,
like Z 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 q 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 vas 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 neal
him. by the table. Something splashed
down to the door-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 blindly. "Oh,
Captain Mark !" she whispered.
Mark felt himself beginning to
shake; fate seemed to have played =
wretched trick on him just then.
why. Captain Mark! Why-why
did you do this?" asked Eleanor.
'Hey. Weston I" called his fellow or
derby from the door Of the sterillxing
room: and then, seeing him with the
sister. withdrew.
"You heard my name7' asked Mark.
II heard It, Captain Mark. Won't
You tell me what It means, what II al
means7"
what It all meansr' he repeated
vaguely, wondering 1t the concern on
her face.
"Why you disappeared 10 ron did
from Washington. / knew that you
had applied for leave Of absence. be-
cause you had overw0rked in the hot
weather. But you eve 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
gone 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 we've tired Of the work and
might have got some appointment out
OF the service. Their tales were con
nicting. And you weren't IN the army
list any more Won't you tell ne, just
because-you know-btcause-"
Mark could hardly restrain his feel
ing.
-In tell you" said Mark, raising his
eyes. II was accused Of treachery, Of
betraying secrets to enemies of my
country"
EleanN laughed In q little, mirth-
less voice. you're still the same,
Uncle Mark" she whispered. ibid you
think I would believe that?"
ut was not true" cried Mark, net
tied and desperate. "But 1t was found
that / ~frequented gambling houses"
"You are 90 fond Of money. Uncle
Mark!
II wanted money. You were rich.
and ! wanted your esteem. ! wanted
to move In your circles, to win your
favor. as others could"
She gasped and grew red; he nav
that his arrow had gone home. and
went OF .pitilessly.
when I was 1t your reception you
had smiles for everyone"
that's enough. Captain Wallace"
she said. with 81 indrawn breath. You
insulted me the last time We met, you
know, or probably have forgotten. -
I e that MI my thoughts Of you
were wrong. I was always . burde9.
And when you didn't write 90 many
years, and when y0u didn't rome to
see me. ! thought-oh. I'll tell ron nov.
since you have humiliated me as deep
y = 4 = psalbte - humiliats :
NomAnA Thought yo1 gkayed away
80 k@k pNAxk b1ea1De yoo slteed ne,