Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-10-08
tablished that from Senator sandelsoi

beyond question But Sanderson' s
knowledge of the man is Of compare
lively recent date. going back about
| five years to the time Armitage purs
chased his Montana ranch. WhoeveE
Armitage may be, he pays his bills; he
conducts himself like a gentleman; he
travels at will. and people who meet
him say a good word for him"
"TIe is an agreeable man and re-
markably we'll posted in European poll
tics, said Judge Claiborne. Il talked
with him a number of times on the
King Edward and must say that I
liked him. !"
sChauvenet evidently knows him
There was undoubtedly something
back of that little trick at my supper
party at the Army and Navy" said
Dick.
1T might be explained began the
baron; then he paused and looked from
father to SON Pardon me, but they
both manifest some interest in Miss
Claiborne
eve met them abroad said Dick.
sand they both turned up again in
Washington"
Zone of them is here, or has been
here in the valley-why not the othersH
asked Judge Claiborne.
"But of course Shirley knows moth
ing of Armitage's whereabouts" Dick
protested.
Certainly not" declared his father
"How did you make Armitage's ac-
quaintance?" asked the ambassador
Some one must have been responsible
for introducing him, if you can remem
ber''
Dick laughed.
1T was in the Monte Rosa at Gene
va. Shirley and had been chatting
each other about the persistence with
which Armitage seemed to follow us
He was taking deieuner at the same
hour, and he passed us going out. Old
Arthur Singleton-the ubiquitous was
talking to us, and he nailed Armitage
with his customary zeal and intro
duced him to US in quite the usual
American fashion. Later | asked Sin
gleton who he was, and he knew moth
ing about him. Then Armitage turned
up on the steamer. where he made
himself most agreeable. Next, Senator
Sanderson vouched for him as one of
his Montana constituents. You know
the rest of the story. l swallowed him
whole He called at our house on seY
eral occasions and came to the post.
and asked him to my supper for the
Spanish attache."
"And now, Dick, we want you to
find him and get him into room with
ourselves, where we can ask him some
questions" declared Judge Claiborne
They discussed the matter in detail
1t was agreed that Dick should remain
at the Springs for a few days to watch
Chauvenet; then if he got no clew TO
Armitage's whereabouts he was to go
to Montana to see If anything could
be learned there
sWe must find him. There must be
no mistake about it," said the ambas
sador to Judge Claiborne when they
were alone. "They are almost panic
stricken In Vienna. What with the
match burning close to the powder in
Hungary and clever heads plotting in
Vienna this American end of the game
has dangerous possibilities.
"And when we have young Arnli
tage"- the Judge began.
"Then we shall know the truth.
"But suppose-su -suppose'-and Judge
Claiborne glanced at the door-"sup
pose Charles Louis, emperor-king OF
Austria Hungary, should die-tonlght-
tomorrow
1--WE will assume nothing of the
kind calculated the ambassador
sharply. at is impossible" Then to
Captain Claiborne: you must pardon
me if l do not explain further. ! wish
to find Armitage. 1t is of the greatest
Importance 1t would not aid you if
told you why l must see and talk with
him."
And as though to escape from the
thing of which his counsel had limited
Baron Won Marhof took his departure
at once.
Shirley met her brother on the We
randa. His arrival had been unher
aided, and she was frankly astonished
to see him.
"Well, Captain Claiborne, you are
man Of mystery. You viii undoubted
" be court martialed for deserving
and after long leave too"
Il am on duty. Don't forget that
you are the daughter ofa. diplomat"
"Humph! 1t doesn't follow necessari-
ly that | should be stupid"
NYou couldn't be that, Shirley, dear.
"Thank you, captain"
They discussed family matters for a
few minutes; then she said. with elab-
crate irrelevanee:
''Well. we must hope that your ap-
pearance will cause no battles to be
fought in our garden. There was
enough fighting about here In old
times''
4'Take heart, little sister. l shall pro