Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-21
Chapter XIII
THE VERGE OF MORNING.

r-A, VI AFtuItuRG SlOOu u III
49, tie In advance, his
hand on Oscars arm
to check the rush of the little man.
Claiborne sheathed the sword. placed
1t on the table and folded his arms.
Yes: they are very interesting"
"And those ribbons and that cloak
| assure you they are of excellent quail.
ity. Oscar. put blanket on this gen
tleman's horse. Then make some cot
fee and wait"
AS Oscar closed the door Armitage
crossed to the table, flung down his
gauntlets and hat and turned to Clai-
borne.
II didn't expect this Of you. really
didn't expect it Now that you have
found me, what do you want?"
II don't know-I'il be hanged II l
know And Claiborne grinned so that
the grotesque lines OF his soiled coun-
tenance reused Armitage's Numbering
wrath.
You'd better find out! This Is my
busy night, and II you can't explain
yourself I'm going to tie you hand and
foot and drop you down the we'll till l
finish my work. Speak up! What are
you doing on my grounds, In my house,
at this hour Of the night, prying into
my affairs and rummaging In my
trunks?"
II didn't come here, Armitage. was
brought--with q potato sack over my
head. There's the sack on the door,
and any of its dirt that isn't ON my
face must be permanently settled in
tny lungs"
what are you doing up here in the
mountains? Why are you not at your
station? The potato sack story Is pref
ty dimsy. Do better than that and
hurry up!"
"Armitage''-as he spoke Claiborne
walked to the table and rested his An
ger tips on it-"Armitage, you and !
have made some mistakes during our
short acquaintance. ! will tell you
frankly that have blown hot and cold
about you as l never did before with
another man in my life. On the ship
coming over and when met you In
Washington thought well of you.
Then your cigarette case shook my
confidence in you there at the Army
and Navy club that night, and now
ID my cigarette case" beloved
Armitage. clapping his hand to his
pocket to make sure Of it.
That's what shy! But 1t was a
disagreeable situation. You must ad-
NIT that"
ut was indeed!"
'lt requires some nerve for man to
tell circumstantial story like that to
a tableful Of gentlemen about one OF
the gentlemen!''
mo doubt Of 1t whatever, Mr.. Clai-
borne"
Armitage unbuttoned his coat and
jerked back the lapes impatiently.
'And knew as much about NJ.
Chnuvenet as did about you or AZ !
do about you"
what you know Of him. Mr.. Clai-
borne Is Of no consequence. And what
you don't know about me would ill q
large volume. How did you get here,
and what do you propose doing now
that you are here? l am in hurry
and have no time to waste. II can't
get anything satisfactory out OF you
within two minutes I'm going to chuck
you back into the sack"
II came up here in the hills to look
for you-you-you! Do you under
stand?" began Claiborne angrily. And
as was riding along the road about
two miles from here l ran into three
men on horseback When stopped to
parley with them and find out what
they were doing they crept up on me
and grabbed my horse and put that
sack over nay head. They had mistak-
en- me for you, and they brought me
here, into your house, and pulled the
sack of and were decidedly disagreea-
bic at finding they had made mis-
take. One of them had gone in to ran
sack your effects, and when they pull
ed or the bag and disclosed the wrong
hare be dropped his loot on the floor,
and then told them to 60 to the
devil, and hope they've done II. When
you came in was picking up your
traps, and submit that the sword Ia
handsome enough to challenge any
bodys eye. And there's all there is OF
the story, and don't care whether
you believe it or not"
Their eyes were fixed upon each 9th
er in gaze Of anger and resentment
Suddenly Armitage's tense figure re-
Taxed, the fierce light in his eyes gave
way to a CLEAN Of humor, and he
laughed long and loud.
'Your face-your face, Claiborne. It's
funny. It's too funny for any use.
When your teeth show, it's something
CHASTITY. For Gods sake, go in there
and wash your facet"
He made light in his own room and
piled Claiborne with towels, while he
continued to break forth occasionally
in fresh bursts of laughter. When
they went into the hall both men were
grave.
"Claiborne"-
Armitage put out his hand, and Clai-
borne took it in vigorous clasp.
"You don't know who am or what l
am, and haven't got time to tell you
now. It's a long story. and l have
much to do, but swear to you. Clai-
borne, that my hands are clean; that
the game ! am playing is no affair Of
my own, but 4 big thing that haze