Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-15

stances most unusual ana OlSQuletlDS
| she had witnessed an attack on John
| Armitage by an unknown enemy. She
recalled now certain pathos OF his
| figure ms she first saw him leaning
against the tree watching the tur
bulent little stream, and she was i'm
patient to find how her sympathy wen,
out to him. 1t made no difference who
John Armitage was; his enemy was a
coward, and the horror Of such men
ace to mans life appalled, her. She
passed mounted policeman. who rec.
ognized her and raised his hand IN
salute, but the idea OF reporting the
strange affair in the strip OF woodland
occurred to her only to be dismissed
She felt that here was IN ugly bust.
ness that was not within the grasp OF
Il park patrolman and, moreover. John
Armitagc was entitled to pursue his
own course in matters that touched
his life SO closely. The thought o!
him reassured her. He was no simple
boy to suffer such attacks to pass I'M
challenged. and so. Diminishing him. she
raised her head and saw him gaalop
forth from bypath and rein his horse
beside her.
Miss Claiborne!"
The suppressed feeling In his tone
made the moment tense, and she saw
that his lips trembled. 1t was situa-
ton that must have its quick relief. SO
she said instantly In mockery Of his
own tone:
mir. Armitagew She laughed. 81
am almost caught in the dark. The
Establishments of spring have beguiled
me-"
He looked at her with quick scru.
tiny. 1t did not seem possible that this
could be the girl who had called to
him in warning scarce Ave minutes be-
fore, but he knew 1t had been she
He would have known her voice any
where in the world. They rode silent
beside the creek, which was like a
laughing companion seeking to mock
them into cheerier mood. At an
opening through the hills they saw the
western horizon aglow in tints Of lem
on deeping into gold and purple. Save
for the riot Of the brook the world was
at peace. She met his eyes for an In
slant, and their gravity and the 6rm
lines in which his lips were set showed
that the shock Of his encounter had not
yet passed
"You must think me strange per
son, Miss Claiborne. 1t seems mex
picable that mans life should be so
m.uaced in a place like this. II YOU
had not called to me-
please don't speak Of that! 1t was
so terrible"
But l must speak Of 1t. Once be-
fore the same attempt was made-that
night on the King Edward"
Eyes; have not forgotten"
'And today l have reason to believe
that the same man watched his chance,
for have ridden here every day since
I came, and be must have kept track
Of me-"
But this is America, Mr.. Armitage"
'sThat does not help me with you.
You have every reason to resent my
bringing you into such dangers. 1t is
objectionable, indefensible!"
She saw that he was greatly trou-
bled.
But you couldn't help my being in
the park today. have often stopped
just there before. It's favorite place
for meditations. II you know the
man
II know the man."
"Then the law will certainly protect
you, as you know very well. He was
dreadful looking person. The police
can undoubtedly find and lock him
up"
She was seeking to minimize the
matter, to pass it of as common
place affair Of every day. They were
walking their horses. The groom fol-
lowed stolidly behind.
Armitage was silent look Of great
perplexity on his face. When he spoke
he was quite calm.
'Miss Claiborne, must tell you that
this is an affair In which can't ask
help in the usual channels. You will
pardon me If seem to make mys-
terry Of what should be ordinarily a
bit Of business between myself and
the police. But to give publicity to
these attempts to injure me just now
would be a mistake. I could have
caught that man there in the wood
But let him go for the reason-for
the reason that I want the men back
of him to show themselves before
act But II 1t isn't presuming"-
He was quite himself again His
voice was steady and deep with the
ease and assurance that she liked in
him. She had marked today In his
earnestness, more than at any other
time, a slight, an almost indistinguish-
able trace Of another tongue in his
English.
"How am / to know whether it
would be presumingT she asked.
But I was going to say
when rudely interrupted!' She was
trying to make it easy for him to say
whatever he wished.
THAT these troubles Of mine are
really personal. I have committed no
crime and am not fleeing from JUS
tice."
She laughed and urged her horse
into gallop for a last stretch Of road
near the park limits.