The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-17
CHAPTER ".
A Frank Admission,

n FRANK ADMISSION.
| Holton's acquisitions were promptly
attended to, and by the time he had
completed his packing at the club his
tickets for the Florida Special had ar
rived.
He lunched with Billy Holt Of the
ordnance department, and then took a
hack to the station, where he found
the train made up. He had several
magazines in his hands, and settled
down to read with his feet luXuriously
resting on the other seat Of his sec
| ton
1t was not many minutes. however,
before he yawned broadly, and five
minutes thereafter his magazine had
tumbled IRON his hand and he was fast
asleep.
| AS he fell into slumber two men
approached the porter, and, throwing
open their coats, displayed Secret
Service shields.
While their English was perfect,
they were surely of the Latin race.
"Ya-as, suh--all right, genl'men.
The porter was very much impressed.
"Ya-as, sub, 60 right along"
"As they approached Holton's sec
ton one of them stopped.
well, here he is" he remarked.
Eyes, and asleep. too. He's bound
for Tampa fol surety"
Eyes; but, now that he kindly sleeps,
we might as well 60 farther" He
bent down aad carefully drew Holton's
bag out into the aisle. Quick" he
said. looking up, 1.-THE keys"
His companion drew from his
pocket large bunch of keys, and the
man tried several without success.
Finally, becoming impatient, he drew
the bag to the seat behind Holton,
and, drawing his knife, cut long hole
near the top. Then, inserting his
hand and arm, he fished about for
several minutes, but without feeling
anything other than wearing apparel
and toilet articles.
Finally he Strengthened up and
pushed the bag into the place whence
It had been withdrawn with the froWn-
Ing remark:
well, we'll have to let him 60;
we've done our part"
The two men spent some time in the
station, framing a telegram in cipher.
which, when completed, was sent to
Tampa. Then they disappeared.
Holton in the meantime slept, and
was still asleep when the rain moved
out. Awakened by sudden turn of
the cars, he started bolt upright and
looked about him with only vague
idea as to where he was. When he
came to realizing sense of his stu
alton he looked at his watch, and then
tried to resume his nap. But this
time he did not fall asleep, and SO,
after fdgeting about for half an hour.
he decided to go into the smoker.
He had some very excellent cigars
In his grip, and, pulling out the bag.
he leaned down to unlock 1t, when he
saw the long hole which had been
cut in the shining pigskin.
He regarded the damage for a Sec
0nd with rising anger, and then un-
locked the valise and searched 1t thor.
oughly to see what had been stolen.
For his only idea was that some sneak
thieves had taken advantage of his
slumber.
But. finding everything intact, he
was obliged to cast about for another
explanation. 1t was then that the
thought of spies occurred to aim.
Thus thinking, he rose from his seat
and looked searChingly over the &C.
cupants of his car.
Almost the first person his eyes
lighted upon was girl in the section
diagonally opposite him. One glance
at her profile was sufficient to send
Holton stumbling and gasping back
into his seat.
The girl was Miss In Tossa.
He thought for moment. Oh, to
be sure, he had risen to find out who
had maltreated his bag. Then
Good Heavens, !loltons hands few
to his head after the most approved
manner of tragedy, and for q moment
he tried to dismiss the surging
thoughts from his mind. But no, the
facts were large and luminous and not
to be denied. and these facts were as
follows: He had gone asleep in the
car. his bag had been cut open and
rifled. Now. then; Miss La Tossa had
been designated by men who should
know whereof they spoke as a spy.
Miss La Tossa was the only other
person In the car-he paused. He
Just would not think it, that was all.
So. picking UP 4 magazine, he set.
tied back in his seat and tried 10 lose
himself in serial story. For while
he kept his mind fairly well upon the
tale. but eventually he found his
thoughts straying 70 the girl in front
OF him. Eventually he flung the mag.
azine aside aud shifted about uneasily.
! After al. was lie playing the game