Putnam patriot., 1908-10-16

house. Shirley lifted her eves graxelx
 as she passed Her thoughts flew at once to the scene at the house of the secretary of state a week before. when Baron von Marhof had learned of the ueath or his sovereign. and by associs- tion she thought. too. of Armitage and Of his look and voice as he said. Long live the emperor and king, ] God save Austria,''
 Emperors and kingsi They were as impossible today as snowstorm. The
 grave ambassadors as they appeared at great Washington functions. wearing their decorations. always struck her as being particularly distinguished. It Just ROW occurred to her that they were all linked to the crown and scep- ter, but she dismissed the whole mat- ter and bowed to two dark ladies in passing victoria with the quick little nod and bright smile that were the same for these titled members of the Spanish ambassadors household as for the young daughters of western sen Rtor, who democratieally waved their hands to her from q doorstep. Armitage came again to her mind He had called at the Claiborne house twice since the secretary's ball. and she had been surprised 10 find how fully she accepted him as an American now that he was on her own soil. He de rived, too, d certain stability from the fact that the Sandersons knew him; he was. indeed, an entirely different person since the Montana senator def initefy connected him with an Amer ican landscape. She had kept her own counsel touching the scene on the dark deck of the King Edward. but it was not q thing lightly to be forgotten. She was half angry with herself this mel low afternoon to find how persistently Armitage came into her thoughts and how the knife thrust on the steamer deck kept recurring in her mind and quickening her sympathy for a man of whom she knew so little. and she touched her horse impatiently with the crop and rode into the park at gait that reused the groom to attention.
 At a bend Of the road Chauvenet and Franzel, the attache. swung Into view, mounted. and as they met Chauvenet turned his horse and rode beside her.
 "Ah. these American airs! This springi Is it not good to be alive. Miss Claiborne?'
 Tt is all of that!" she replied. It seemed to her that the day had not needed Chauyenet's praisp
 'I had hoped to see you later at the Wallingford tea." he continued.
 No teas for me on day like thisi The thought of being indoors is tragie.'
 She wished that he would leave her, for she had ridden out into the spring sunshine to be alone. He somehow did not appear to advantage in his riding coat-his belongings were too perfect She had really enjoyed his talk when they had met here and there abroad, but she was in no mood for him now, and she wondered what he had lost by the transfer to America He ran on airily fin French. speaking of the rush Of great and small social affairs that marked the end of the sea- son
 Poor Franzel is indeed triste. He Is taking the death Of Johann Wilhelm quite hard But here in America the death of an emperor seems less i'm portant A king or q peasant. what does 1t matter|
 Better ask the robin in wonder bud ding chestnut tree. monsieur. This is not an hour for hard questions.
 "Ah. you are very eruell You drive me back to poor. melancholy Frapzel. who is indeed d funeral in himself.
 That is very sad. monsieur" and she smiled at him with mischief in her eyes. "Ny heart goes out to any one who is left To mourn-alone."
 He gathered his reins and drew up his horse, lifting his hat with perfect gesture.
 "There are sadder blows than losing ones sovereign, mademoiselie. and he shook his barred head mournfully and rode back to find his friend.
 She sought now her faverlte brldle maths. and her heart was light with the sweetness and peace of the spring AS she heard the rush and splash of the creek. saw the flash of wings and felt the mystery of awakened lie throbbipg about her. The heart or a girl in spring is the home Of dreams, and ShIrley's heart overnowed with them until her pulse thrilled and sang in auickening cadences
 The groom marveled at the sudden changes of gait. the gallops that feii abrnptly to a walk with the alterna- lions of mood in the girls heart, the pauses that marked a moment Of med itation as she watched some green curv,ng bank or a plunge of the mad little creek that sent . glory Of spray vhiteIy into the sunlight It grew late. ana the shadows of waning afternoon crept through the park. The crowd had hurried home to escape the chill or the snring dusk. but she fingered on. reluctant to leave. and presently left her horse with the groom that she might walk alone beside the creek Tn nlaee that was beautifully wild About |JIk:5IIHE||
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