The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-10-06

manded.
Il certainly discovered who you
werew
81 am Marion Marlatt, OF course"
she admitted almost casually. rs. d.
Marlatt, who is now In Jail, is my
uncle: some of the others are my
cousins; in some ways, of course,
was and am with them, but it should
not be impossible to imagine, / should
think, that in other ways am not"
In what ways, lie / may ask?'
Not in that toner she forbade, fac
ing him with eyes suddenly afsame and
with her little hands clenched. 81 am
as good an American as you, think
and running at least as much risk
to do my bit"
4Your bit?'' he repeated.
why notY'
For America r.
"Of course!'
But
Smoke. please" she requested
quickly, holding her jacket close about
her throat again. Some one passed
through the vestibule without hating;
the car doors closed and Jim and
Marion Marlatt were alone again.
IF you want to know why was in
that house that night" she burst out,
at is very simple. / live there; 1t
was my home. Put yourself In my
place for few moments, please, Mr..
James Ashby, and tell me what you
would have doner'
Jim felt the blood tingling in him
at her repeating his name. So she
had inquired of him. Then he real
lied that inquiry on her part implied
no personal concern; as one of the
spies threatened by him, Marion Mar
latt naturally would have attempted
to learn how he came upon them
"When I found out, during the war
in Europe, that my uncles and cousins
were planning and preparing for the
regent to make war here, what good
would I have done by denouncing
themr' she demanded. II had no
good proof against them, and, be-
sides, lots of people already were say
ing that the regent had his secret
agents here, but the authorities never
paid any attention. Pretty soon got
evidence; admit that, but 1t wasn't
any better evidence than was being
printed and published in some Of the
newspapers every day; and no one was
paying any attention to things Ike
that So knew I'd simply give my
self away If I said anything and gain
nothing. My uncles- Mr.. Marlatt and
Mr.. Gervis"-
THE one whose house you were In
that nightY
Yes; where I was living since my
mother died; he was her brother. Well,
my uncles found out that knew about
them and they thought / was with
them. They knew / was born here, of
course, and was brought up here, and
went to schools here, and had all my
friends here, but they were sure /
must be like themselves and my cous-
ms: they thought nothing could count
compared to the old country. But 1T
wasn't so with me, but didn't let
them know It. They told me a great
deal and / found out more and more.
So / knew, a long time ago, that this
war was coming. but as thousands of
other people were saying 1t and no one
was doing anything. the only thing
could see to do was to stay where
was. and-well, see to IL, IL l could.
that some Of my uncles schemes
wouldn't work out the way they
wanted.
In other words" Jim challenged
her more coolly-he had drawn fur
Their away from her and had quite re
covered himself you want me to be
lieve that you. instead of being In
that house as spy Of the regent, were
there for the American causev
NO. she denied as coolly. II mere
" told that to you. as 1t might prove
possibly interesting TO You. / don't
care cartridge whether you believe
1t or notr'
a cartridgey' he repeated.
She turned from him abruptly with
out offering explanation. and seemed
srSdaIIv entirely absorbed In The