Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-07
l 81 7 !!
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BY
EDWIN BALMER
copyrisht. 1916. by the Chicago
Tribune
CHAPTER Nv.


would conceal man lying down, was
between the road and a potato field
twenty feet to the left.
Jim gasped as he crouched again In
this grass. His hands were wet with
blood. Wendell walked past. showing
his revolver into his pocket. aud stood
staring down. Jim joined him.
lngouf's body lay In the grass. SO
mangled that jim, forcing himself to
bend closer. scarcely could be certain
that this was the form Of the man he
had seen at the factory few hours
earlier. II any Of the revolver bullets
had hit him their marks had been OBJ
liberated by the work Of the bomb.
which. either exploding as be threw 1t
or having fallen from his grasp and
bursting at bis feet. instantly had slain
him. The explosion had been Of terri
BILE force. The ground was followed
at Ingoufs feet, the grass was strew-
ed and scattered. and the body was
torn and half denuded. As Jim stag
gered back from II. sickened. Wendell
knelt beside It. 81 "
I'VE must search him" Bob said
quietly. Jim recoiied and walked@off to
the motorcycle. The engine was still
running as 1t lay In the road. Jim
stopped 1t and looked over the ma
chine. 1t carried nothing but the ordi.
nary equipment and the usual tools in
the case. The two bombs evidently
had been carried by InGouf himself.
and he seemed to have had only the
two. At least Bob found none In his
search. and he discovered on the body
only keys and pocket knife, few
coins and other ordinary triies. In n
pocket Of the coat--it was shredded
strip Of wool. all blood soaked-was a
letter addressed in typewriting to In
Eouf at his home. F"
Half the envelope and contents only
remained. The envelope bore in the
corner the return address OF rs. D.
Marlatt, Insurance. Chicago, Within
was half the sheet Of typewriter
letter Of the ordinary sort Of life In
surance solicitation--at least the type
written lines presented only the usual
appeal to the addressee. to ipsure-but
between those lines appeared hand
writing in the delicate. small charac.
tiers Of a woman's script Only tho
drst half Of each line remained. and In
the moonlight the writing was not
legible. Wendell struck 4 match and
held 1t over the paper:
Immediately upon receiving this you
and proceed before morning TO the vest
etely demoIish and burn and .hereupon-
you both in readiness for further serv-
when you will offer yourselves as voiun-
teers-
and go to the front with the company for
the pur-
Wendell dropped his match. He gaz-
ed at Jim across the blood soaked bit
Of paper. DO you see what we haveT
"You mean his orders for
For bis duty at the start OF war"
AT the start of xar?"
Wendell searched the ground finally
to make certain that he had found
everything: then he folded the bit Of
paper and the half envelope within
other papers in his pocket
1--WE can't get back to your house too
soon," be said to Jim. 'Tkey will
come out Of that farmhouse and do all
that needs to be done for-that. There's
secret service man in Chicago-Si-,
bert-who needs to know what we do
as soon as 1 can talk to him On a pri-
vate line"
He led the way back to the-car. War
In America! They climbed to their
seats and Jim drove the car, dazedly,
toward his fathers house. The clock
on the dashboard showed scarcely If
teen minutes since he had stopped to
speak with Bob outside the factory.
and now Jim pulled himself togeth-
er. A bright light was burning in the
lower hall Of the Ashby house, and. as
the car came up the driveway, the
front door opened and a girls figure
in kimono showed in silhouette in the
doorway. It was Nellie. and she held
a telegram ....
you've been recalled, dearv' she
said to Bob. THE message just came;
I was looking for you."
Recalled" Bob repeated.
"Yes: you are to report at Newport
News at the earliest possible hour. I've
put in call for Chicago" she motion
ed toward the telephone. I'm trying
to find If there's a Pennsylvania or
Baltimore and Ohio train out for Wash
ington or the Virginia capes tonight"
Newport News" Jim reiterated.
The name made strangely vivid and
understandable to him the idea Of war;
It brought back from his boyhood mem
cries the turmoil and panic at the
start Of the Spanish war when the
Spanish feet was supposed to be sail
ing to lombard the American coast
and citizens clamored in terror for
American battleships to guard them
and when the Oregon was rounding
the Horn to REINFORCE the Atlantic
feet. What's happenedY'
That's all they say" Nellie replied
to Jim, but her eyes never left Bob.
Hes to report Immediately. Do you
want me to follow you to Virginia,
Bob. or wait here till you can wire me
what's likely to be your home stationT r.
THAT'S best, ] think, Nellie"
"For me to wait here awhile?'
yes; I'll leave money for you now"
He stopped, half dressed. and wrote
check at the desk sThere. that will
cover expenses till next pay day. I'll
notify the department to send you the
next checks direct. won't need any
extra money on active service. OF