The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-17

With this thought. Ilolton arose
from his seat ard, wi'iiasel'canscious
smile. hustled W TO Mss IL lcssa as
though lie had just diseo'eFed hef
presence.
"Why, OF all rhinrs." hc oEaIaimeu'
How do you do, Nliss IL Iossl
Her book fell to the 1'oor ana she
looked up. Mr.. Holion!' She CRED
The very same" laushed liohon'
"and may ! ask what stscnse crcuih'
stances have brought Us together
again."
IL was just going to ask you that.
Holton looked at her cuIiously, hard'
| ly knowing what reply to make, after
such check.
where are you going?" he inquired
at length.
ITO Tampa and thence to my home,
she responded.
J "Oh!" Holton shifted doubtfully.
I'm going to Tampa. too"
Really"
81 trust II can be Of any service
you will avail yousself of my pres
ence, Miss La Tossa," he added some
shat formally.
THANK you. Won't you st DOWN.
That's one service you can PERFORM
talk to ME; I'm dreadfully bored
Holton seated himself obediently.
"Beaslly raw ard windy. wasn't IT,
today?"
YES"
Then she laughed at him unaffect'
eddy.
what are you laughing att"
AT your brilliancy. Oh. you are
mastery! And yet" she added, they
told me you were so clever
81 cannot help what people say ne
began and then, impatient at his ob'
vious disadvantage, he changed the
subject. ~ had the most curious
thing happen to me on this train he
went on.
"Now," she laughed. you promise
to be really entertaining. What was
it? Do tell me-"
81 boarded the car" said Holton.
"and fell asleep" She giggled, and
he raised his hand impatiently. }
fell sleep, and while l slept some ras-
cal cut hole in my bag and rum
mayed through the contents"
He glanced at her sharply. But
her face revealed nothing except po-
lite concern.
! Indeed" she remarked.
Nothing was stolen" continued the
! officer, "and cannot imagine why the
thing was done"
think, perhaps, can tell you,'
she said calmly. you were attached
to the Scorpion. She had been testing
out some new torpedo. You came to
Washington on the eve OF war, and
now you hurry away again to Tampa.
Certain persons were DESTROYS to know
whether your departure concerned the
Scorpion, and your bag was searched
for orders or other writings that might
throw light upon the subject"
"You are frank" Holton looked
at her admiringly. "But how do you
happen to know all this?"
! Because I'm spy"
Holton's face assumed the color of
perfectly ripened tomato.
"You-you--"
Her hearty laughter brought him to
pause.
J How astonished you seem to BET"
She regarded him humorcusly. why"
she added, 81 really believe he thinks
/ now ! cut open his bag
Holton brought himself up with q
jerk.
Miss La Tossa." he said, II bow to
you. You can deprive a man Of
speech about as handily as any per.
son | ever knew. OF course, you're
not a spy!"
DO you really believe that" Her
eyes were serious now. "Do your"
YES" he returned desperately.
Then, Mr. Holton, | beg to inform
| you that am spy"
Holton received the girls announce.
ment with bowed head, and as he
didn't speak she looked at him with
defiant eyes.
II am Cuban. I am not a profes.
sional spy, as you may imagine. |
fear | am not spy at all in the high
sense OF the term. But | have tried
to serve my country: shall continue
to do so. My country is in peril. I
could be, was born to be, fear. a
pleasure-loving butterfly. But I have
! found that there are WAYS in which
my country has need even of poor
me-"
yes. but we need not be enemies /"
Holton's voice was very earnest
She did not reply, and Holtou added:
Il applaud your motives, but surely
you do not Imagine Cuba to be in dan.
ger at the hands of the United
States. l should think Srain would
be your object, and if tie United
States, | ask you whv?"
Still, she did not answer. and Hol.
ton, Struggling his shoulders, impa.
tently repeated his question.
"Why?"
DO you know. Mr.. Holton," she said
after a moments pause, that every
nile southwark this train flies in.
creases my happiness. It is so pleas.
ant to feel you are nearing home"