The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-08-06

INN NS~ Shirley Claiborne went
|C~~ 4 into a jewelers. on the
Grand Quai to purchase
trinket that had caught
her eye while she waited for Dick.
who had gone off in their carriage to
the postoffice to send some kilograms.
1t was a small shop and the time early
afternoon, when few people were about
A man who had preceded her was
looking at watches and seemed deeply
absorbed in this occupation. She heard
his inquiries as to quality and price
and knew that it was Armitage's voice
before she recognized his tall figure
She made her purchase quickly and
was about to leave the shop when he
turned toward her, and she bowed.
"Good afternoon, Miss Claiborne
These are very tempting bazaars, aren't
they? If the abominable tariff laws Of
America did not give US pause
He bent above her, hat in hand, smil
ing. He had concluded the purchase
of watch, which the shopkeeper was
now wrapping in box.
membrance for my ranch foreman out
in Montana, and before can place it
in his hands it must be examined and
appraised and all the pleasure Of the
gift destroyed by the custom officers
in New York. l hope you are good
smuggler, Miss Claiborne"
'I'd like to be. Women are supposed
to have a knack at the business. but
my father is so patriotic that he makes
me declare everything"
"Patriotism will carry one far, but
object both to being taxed and to the
alternative of corrupting the gentlemen
who lie in wait at the receipt Of Gus
toms"
"Of course the answer Is that Amer
leans should buy at home" replied
Shirley. She received her change, and
Armitage placed his small package in
his pocket.
"My brother expected to meet me
here. He ran off with our carriage"
Shirley explained.
"These last errands are always try.
ing. There are innumerable things one
would like to come back for from mid
ocean, tariff or no tariff"
There's the wireless" said Shirley.
I'm time we shall be able to commit
our afterthoughts to it. But lost views
can hardly be managed that way. Aft
er get home shall think of scores Of
things l should like to see again that
photographs don't give"
Armitage had been the subject Of so
much jesting between Dick and her
self that it seemed strange to be talk
ing to him. His face frightened pleas
antly when he spoke. His eyes were
grayer than she had mockingly de-
scribed them for her brothers benefit
the day before. His manner was grave
ly courteous. and she did not at all be-
lieve that he had followed her about.
Armitage was aware that a jewelers.
shop was hardly the place for extended
conversation with young woman
whom he scarcely knew, but he lin
gered in the JOY of hearing this Amer
lean girls voice, and what she said in
terested him immensely. He had seen
her first in Paris a few months before
at an exhibition of battle paintings.
He had come upon her standing quite
alone before High Tide at Gettys-
burg" the picture of the year, and he
had noted the quick mounting of color
to her cheeks as the splendid move
ment of the painting-its ardor and fire
took hold of her. He saw her again
In Florence, and it was from there that
he had deliberately followed the Clai-
borues.
His own plans were now quite unset.
tied by his interview with Won Stroe-
bel. He fully expected Chauvenet in
Geneva. The man had apparently been
on cordial terms with the Claibornes,
and as he had seemed to be master of
his own time it was wholly possible
that he would appear before the Clai-
bornes left Geneva. 1t was now the
second day after Won Stroebel's depar-
ture and Armitage began to feel un-
easy.
He stood with Shirley quite near the
shop door. The carriage drove up
and Dick Claiborne came up to them
at. once and bowed to Armitage.
'There is great news. Count Fer
dinands Won Stroebel was murdered in
his railway carriage between here and
Vienna. They found him dead at Inns
bruck this morning."
us it possible! Are you quite sure
he was murderedw
1t was Armitage who asked the ques
tion. He spoke in tone quite ma
ter OF fact and colorless, so that Shir.
ley looked at him in surprise, but she
saw that he was very grave, and then
instantly some hidden feeling flashed
In his eyes.