Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-07

8: 6: :: IS; =: :: J:
rious and COM
NOR can MAKE anu PEELED respect
adequate apology" cla,burne nod
ded and threw away his cigar that he
might give his whole attention to what
Armitagc might have to say.
"a man does not like to have his sis
ter forming the acquaintance of per-
sons who arc not properly v6uched for.
Except for Singleton you know moth
ing of me, and Singleton knows very
little of me indeed"
Claiborne nodded. He felt the color
creeping into his cheeks consciously as
Armitage touched upon this matter.
II speak to you as do because 1t is
your right to know who and what
am, for am not on the King Edward
by accident but by intention, and am
going to Washington because your sis
ter lives there"
Claiborne smiled in spite Of himself.
"But, my dear sir, this is most OK.
traordinary! don't know that care
to hear any more. BY listening !
seem to be encouraging you to follow
us. It's altogether too unusual It's
almost preposterous."
And Dick Claiborne frowned severe
", but Armitage still met his eyes
gravely.
Its only decent for q man to give
his references when it's natural for
them to be required. was educated
at Trinity college, Toronto. l spent
year Mt the Harvard law school. And
1 am not beggar utterly. own a
ranch in Montana that actually pays
and a thousand acres of the best wheat
land in Nebraska. At the Bronx Loan
and Trust company in New York ]
have securities to considerable
|. AMOUNT am perfectly willing that
any one who is at all interested should
inquire of the trust company officers
as to my standing with them. If ]
were asked to state my occupation, !
should have to say that I am cattle
herder-what you call cowboy. !
can make my living In the practice Of
the business almost anywhere from
New Mexico north to the Canadian
line. fatter myself that am pretty
good at it," aud John Armitage smiled
and took cigarette from box on the
table and lighted it
Dick Claiborne was greatly interested
in what Armitage had said, and he
struggled between an inclination to en-
courage further confidence and feel
ing that he should, for Shirley's sake.
make it clear to this young stranger
that it was of no consequence to my
member of the Claiborne family who
he was or what might be the extent OF
his lands or the unimpeachable char
acter Of his investments. But it was
not so easy to turn aside fellow who
was so big of frame and apparently so
sane and SO steady Of purpose as this
Armitage And there was, too, the
further consideration that while Ar
mitage was volunteering gratuitous in
formation and assuming an interest in
his affairs by the Claibornes that was
wholly unjustified, there was also the
other side of the matter: that his ex-
plantations proceeded from motives OF
delicacy that were praiseworthy. Dick
was puzzled and piqued besides to find
that his resources as big protecting
brother were 50 soon exhausted. What
Armitage was asking was the Right
to seek his sister Shirley's hand in
marriage. and the thing was absurd.
Moreover, who was John Armitage?
The question startled Claiborne into
a realization Of the fact that Armltage
had volunteered considerable informa-
ton without at all answering this 1ues-
ton. Dick Claiborne was q human
being and curious.
pardon me-" he asked, "but are you
an EnglishmanY
II am not" answered Armitage. Il
have been so long in America that !
feel as much at home there as any
where-but I am neither English nor
American by birth. l am, on the other
hand
He hesitated for the barest second.
ana CLAIBORNE was 6euSlOlc VI oil III
classification of interest. Now AT last
there was to be a revelation that
amounted to something.
"On the other hand" Armitage re-
peated, II was born at Fontainebleau,
where my parents lived for only few
months, but do not consider that that
fact makes me Frenchman. My
mother is dead My father died--very
recently. I have been in America
enough to know that a foreigner is
often under suspicion-particulariy II
he have title. Ny distinction is that
l am a foreigner without one" John
Armitage laughed.
"It IL, indeed, q real merit" declared
Dick, who felt something was expect
ed Of him. In spite of himself he
found much to like in John Arnlitage.
He particularly despised sham and pre-
tense, and he had been wen by the eEi.