The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-14
HoLToN
THE NAVY
A Sto~y Of the
Freeing OF Cuba
90
By LAv7EEGcE PERRY
Author of"Dan Merrithew,"
Prince or Chauffeur" etc.
rrEu strations
by Ellsworth Young
lilo STATIONS
by Ellsworth Youn6
Copyright, A. G. hicClurg u Co. 1913
Copyrighted In Great Britain.
CONTINUED from Page %

tIOullnueu from rage 81
The assistant secretary paused, and
then as Holton made no reply, he con.
4inu2d
" = are not yet at war with Spain
not yet, and in the meantime think
1t will be just as we'll for you to re.
main in fairly close touch with my Of.
fce--personal touch. BY the way,
there's ball at the Willard tonight"
"A ball" exclaimed Holton Then
he caught himself Yes, sir" he add
ed
YES. a ball at the Willard Horo is
. you'll note it is a personal in.
vttation to you"
Holor glanced at 1t.
4 see it, sir" He hesitated. Il am
merely. mercy to go there and
dance? I mean-mean. sir, are there
any inStructions?"
i should keep my eyes and ears
open If were you"
Yes, sir, Ill do that, and | hope I'll
be able to be of some SERVICE" he was
rising to CO. "Although-al although I'm
afraid lack-that is, and" Holton
paused and glanced irresolutely at his
chief
That you lack definite information"
said the assistant sec. etary, who seem
Cd to have the faculty of reading Lis
thoughts and expressing them before
2lolton himself could frame them in
suitable, or. we'll say. diplomatic
terms.
Why, yes, sir-I have feeling that
the situation is indefinite"
Yes. Sit down, Mr.. Holton." Hol.
ton resumed his chair and his chief
leaned forward. talking rapidly In Q
low tone
Here is the nub of the situation"
he began. I'm the first place we have
reason, excellent reasons, for suspect.
ing that there are certain elements
among the Cubans, both in the United
States aud in Havana, that are strong.
y inclined to doubt the good faith OF
The United States In this brewing trou.
lie with SPAIN
Holton, thrilled by the promise Of
revelations which these opening words
conveyed, thrilled. also, by his Undue
Non into the inner affairs of the gov.
srnment mill, flushed and regarded the
eyeglasses turned toward him, with
anblinking eyes, impatient for the next
word.
Naturally" continued Mr.. Roose-
selt, the Cubans are eager to avail
themselves Of our armed forces afloat
and ashore, but after the work is all
lone they want us to clear out. Which,
sf couse, we shall do, having first es-
tablished some decent and stable sys-
TEN Of government down there"
Il had not any idea our good faith
vas in question" observed Holton.
1T is was the reply, land it Is
Aking the form of preparations for an
stack upon our troops by Cuban
forces after we have cleaned the Span
ards out of the island"
What chance!" exclaimed Holton,
Hith patriotic fervor.
The assistant secretary smiled.
II myself regard the project as
rack.brained in its conception. but
nevertheless it exists and mus be met.
We must learn their plans at all
hazards. and l can tell you now that
while we have a general idea as to the
situation, 1t is little more than gen.
ral, and details of a specific nature
would be very welcome. want you
to see what you can do. Your record
g that Of clear-headed man of init.
alive and common sense. You speak
Spanish, you are equally at home in
= ballroom or in roughing It. You're
The man we want"
THANK you, sir"
II have been extremely confidential"
resumed the assistant secretary, "as
naturally it was necessary | should be.
Any further information receive from
The Secret Service will be transmitted