Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-06

told me. have you, HelenE' he appeal
ed to his wife.
II guess you'd manage to keep 1t on
your mind II she had" Ashby return
ed heavily. "Itn be worth 5000 next
year IL the navy hasn't always got you
SO used to lcafing and being paid Cor
ii that you can't do any real work at
ALL TIN allow you a drawing account
Of 5000 right away tosstart"
Bob's lips parted. then pressed to-
gether again without speaking In
der the tablecloth a hand Of Nenie's
caught his hand and squeezed It tight.
"You were very good to take that
trouble for me-" Wendell said TO Ma
than Ashby; but since all negotia-
tons have been with you. would you
mind replying that cannot take it:'
In his rage over this refusal Nathan
-ashby was still more insulting. There
was silence in the room when the
maid entered trembling and said:
"The telephone, Dir. Ashby. Its the
wstchman at the factory. He says
Mr. Ingonf and Enloe want TO get In
to 10 some work in the laboratory to-.
night He wants TO know whether he
shouid let them in-if it's all right"
''Of course it's all right" Nathan
Ashby dismissed the matter violently.
What harm could they dor
The Ashby Brass company. Ike
many manufacturing concerns. had
the laboratory for the trying ont Of
who were experimenting with q new
device worked there also in the even
ing. Ingouf and Enlos were ma
chinists who had been working to-
gether on a new type of valve. Jim
Ashby knew. Indeed. his father re-
ular tasks <to give all their days, at
the company's expense, to perfecting
the valve II was not strange, there
fore, that tIey wished to use the labo-
ratory that evening. But, as jim
heard the reGuest, he starfed. He
could not see Rot's face ut that mo-
ment. and tte next Wendell was out
OF the room With Nellie.
Jim had told Agnes that he would,
call that evening; and. since he had
been engaged, he usually had hurried
direct to her home after dinner: but
now, when be left the house, he took
his car on the road toward the factory.
Bob's bomb was all foolishness. OF
course. There could be no such or
sanization Of spies in America even
IL there was TO be a war, and there
was not TO he any war. The evening
bulletins were perfectly definite about
that The bomb-if it were bomb
hsd been made partly cut Of metal
cast at the Ashby works, but any one
might have procured the casting, and
the coutraptieA must be the work OF
some crazy crank. He was going to
the works to prove that.
He knew perfectly web that Bob's
bomb never was made at the factory
when be was there. The only posi-
bility vas that 1t might have been
made in the laboratory after hours.
But would 1t be made by Ingouf and
Enloe; Foreigners, to be sure, but
two Of the steadiest and most depend
able men In the place and the best
workmen.) As Jim entered the factory
the idea was so absurd that he felt
like a foo! when he looked into the
laboratory where the two machinists
were working together at lathe re-
shaping some part OF their valve. Jim
made an excuse for coming in, went
to his Office as though be had for
gotten something. and, leaving the
building. he hurried away by another
road toward the Wares place
A youth of eighteen was coming out
OF the house as Jim left his car and
started up the gTarcI yak. ae was
Martin, Agnes brother.
"Hello- Martin hailed his prospec-
tive brother-in-law with more than
usual interest Say. have you seen
Lieutenant Wendell recently"
Jim shook hands formally with the
boy why, yes, Mart; l saw him
about half an hour ago"
Say. what does he say about the
news from the other side?''
Jim, weary Of the discussion, ges-
tured deprecatingiy. "Oh, the same
old scare stuff; that's all"
SIS Agnes home, Mart?"
"Agnesy Martin recollected. "Oh,
have you come to see her: Well.
should say she's not home Since you
ask me, she got peek at you through
the porch periseope and at once did
the retreat TO the Marine ont the. back
way. Say, Is Lieutenant Wendell still
up at your house? I'd like to go and
see him"
SIZE was there when l left" Jim
granted.
A girl in white was standing rest
lessly within the front door. She was
brown haired young girl. gray eyed,
with smooth, clear skin which was
flushed now in her eagerness, and she
stamped her little foot impatiently as
her brother fingered, on the path.
Agnes succeeded In making no other
demonstration, however, until Martin
had gained the road. then she threw
open the screen door and ran down
the porch steps. Jim caught and
kissed her and half carried her up the
steps again. They paused in the hall
to look at each other under the light.
Jim's inspection appeared far more
than merely satisfactory. but he failed
1 to pass muster under Agnes eyes.