The Ordway new era., 1919-02-21
CHAPTER VII.

On the way to the war department
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 ut any but the
most fantastic solutions
Kellerman welcomed him with his
usual suavity. They carried up the
papers from the safe; then Kellerman
called Mark Into his own office.
about last night, 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 a sort of international
stool pigeon. IL can coin the phrase.
Quite despicable-the one-time gentle
man who has lost his honor; and dan
,gerous. because he knows things that
nobody would credit him with know
ing. I suppose you wonder what was
doing in Mrs. Kenson's placer
mot at all. Major Kellerman."
my dear Wallace" said Kellerman.
laying a hand ON Marks shoulder. II
want to give you q piece Of advice.
This Is quite apart from our work
here. 1 don't think your qualities are
adapted to headquarters work. Go
back to your battalIon-or, rather, take
advantage of your friends in Wash
ington to secure good post"The em-
phasized the adjective reeimental
work." syi
And as Mark looked at him in stu
pefaction. Kellerman added cdolly:
II am not speaking officially. my
dear Wallace. Take the suggestion as
a friendly one. II 1 can make 1t q
little clearer to you. your presence In
Washington is inconvenient to me for
personal reasons. think you will ap-
preciate the reasonable reason.
rather"
The ans insolence was madden
Ing. Marks impulse was to dash his
hsts Into his face. But discipline
told.
Mark saluted stifly and went away.
He sat down at his desk, fnming. OF
course Kellerman had referred to El-
elnor; and 1t suddenly occurred to
Mark that Kellerman might have
made good deal of headway during
his absence.
Mark and Colonel Howard occupied
a small room at the end of the corri-
dor; the clerks' room was without; be-
tween the two, accessible from each.
was Kellerman's office, which commu-
nicated.s In turn. with the Brigadiers
Colonel Howard came in after q
while. AID they went over their plans
together They were engaged on a
complica ted piece of work, Involving
tonnage and computations of cubic
feet of space for cargoes. There had
been an error somewhere, and Marx
was trying hard to discover 1t wheI
the Brigadier came In In his usual iras
chile manner.
"How long will that job take. How
ard7" h0 asked.
"Wallace will have 1t finished b!
hoon, SIR" answered the Colonel.
The Brigadier waved Mark to hi,
seat impntiently. Bring 1t right IL
to me as soon as you have the figures
piense. he said. "rll wait for 1t. Surf
you can be through by nOon2"
''rm sure. SIR" answered Mark. whit
was hot on the trail of the error.
The Brigadler withdrew, taking tn
Colonel with him for a conference
Mark worked steadily. The omission
was found, the computations wer
balancing. A clerk knocked at tn
door.
"What is it3" asked Mark impa
Hently.
"a man to see you. sir. He says hi
james Hartley. Shall show him in?
"Good Lord. mol I'll see him In tn
tyaiting ROOM" answered Mark.
He locked the office door, wen