The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-01-31
CHAPTER VII.


g.
On the way to the war department
the following morning he was puzzling
over the affair, Kellerman's presence
In Mrs. Kenson's house, and Keller
mans possible connection with Hart
ley. who watched Eleanor.
He could not arrive at any but the
most fantastic solutions.
Keilerman welcomed him with his
usual suavity. They carried up the
papers from the safe; then Kellerman
called Mark into his own office.
about last Eight, Wallace" he
began. "Of course you acted all right,
as you understood the situation, but
there was good deal that you did not
understand. That man you took home
TO your rooms Is sort Of international
stool pigeon. If can coin the phrase.
Quite despicable-the one-time gentle
man who has lost his honor; and dam
gerous, because he knows things that
nobody would credit him with know
ing. / suppose you wonder what was
doing in Mrs. Kenson's placer
mot at all, Major Kellerman."
my dear Wallace" said Kellerman,
aaying hand on Marks shoulder, II
want to give you a piece Of advice.
This Is quite apart from our work
here. I don't think your qualities are
adapted to headquarters work. Go
back to your battalion-or, rather, take
advantage of your friends In Wash
fngton to secure good post"-he en-
phasized the adjective-"in reglmental
work."
And as Mark looked Mt him In stu
pefaction. Kellerman added coolly:
IL am not speaking officially, my
dear Wallace. Take the suggestion as
a friendly one. If can make 1t
little clearer to you, your presence In
Washington is inconvenient to me for
personal reasons. think you will ap-
preciate the reasons-the reason,
4rather.'
The mans insolence was madden
ing. Marks impulse was to dash his
fists into his face. But discipline
told.
Mark saluted stifIly and went away.
He sat down at his desk, fuming. OF
course Kcllerman had referred to FL
canor; and 1t suddenly occurred to
Mark that Kellerman might have
made a good deal of headway during
his absence.
Mark and Colonel Howard occupied
N small room at the end Of the corrl-
dor; the clerks room was without; be-
tween the two, accessible from each,
was Kellerman's office, which commu-
nicated. in turn. with the Brigadier's.
Cofonel Howard came In after a
while. and they went over their plans
together. They were engaged on a
complicated piece Of work, involving
tonnage and computations of cubic
feet of space for cargoes. There had
been an error somewhere, and Mark
was trying hard to discover 1t when
che Brigadier came In In his usual iras-
efbie manner.
~How long will that job take. How
ard7" he asked.
-Wnllace will have Il finished by
noon, SIR" answered the Colonel.
The Brigndier waved Mark to his
seat impatiently. "Bring 1t right in
90 me as soon as you have the figures,
piease," he said. "Tll wait for 1t. Sure
200 can be through by noon7"
TN sure, SIR" answered Mark, who
yevns hot on the trail of the error.
TIE Brigadier withdrew, taking the
Colonel with him for conference.
Mark worked steadily. The omission
~as found. the computations were
naiancing. A clerk knocked at the
door.
"what is it7" asked Mara impa-
Nkentiy.
"A man to sec you, sir. He says his
-aame's Hartley. Shall show him in7'
GOOD Lord. mol I'll see him In the
<vsiting room" answered Mark.
We iscksd ~ efacs door. went