Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-12-18


am sure you are not the same person
Her direct manner of speech. her de
cisive tone. in which she placed the
matter of his identity on a purely prac-
teal and unsentimenta plane. gave
him a new impression IF her character
"But Captain Claiborne
He ceased suddenly and she antici-
pated the question at which he had
faltered and answered, little Jelly:
IL do not consider it any of my bust
ness to NEEDLE in your affairs with my
brother. He undoubtedly believes you
are the impostor who palmed himself
off at Bar Harbor as the Baron Won
Kissel He was told So
"By M. Chauvenet"
$50 he said"
"And Of course he is a capital wit
ness. There is no doubt Of Chauve-
lets entire credibility," declared Armi-
age, a little airily.
81 should say not" said Shirley I'M
responsibility. II am quite as sure that
he was not the false baron as l am
that you were not"
Armitage laughed.
Inat Is little pointed
at was meant to be-" said Shirley
pternly. ut is''-she weighed the word
ridiculous that both of you should
be here"
"Thank you for my half didn't
know he was herei But l am not
exactly here-I have a much safer
place." He swept the blue hilled bori-
pn with his hand. IN. Chauvenet
and l win not shoot at each other In
the hotel dining room. But am really
relieved that he has come. We have
an interesting fashion Of running into
each other. 1t would positively grieve
me to be obliged to wait long for him."
He smiled and thrust his hat under
bis arm. The sun was dropping behind
the great western barricsde, and chill!
wind crept sharply owes the valley.
He started to walk beside her as she
turned away, but she paused abruptly.
ooh, this won't do at ALL l can't be
seen with you. even in the shadow of
my own house. | must trouble you to
take the side gate" and she indicated
1t by a nod of her head.
mot If | know myself, [ am not a
fraudulent member of the German no
bility-you have told me so yourself.
Your conscience is clear. | assure you
mine is equally so! And ! am not
person, Miss Claiborne, to sneak out by
side gates particularly when | came
over the fence! It's long way around
anyhow. and l have horse over there
somewhere by the inn.'
"My brother
"Is at Fort Myer. of course. At about
this hour they are having dress parade,
and he is thoroughly occupied"
"But-there is NJ. Chauvenet. He
has nothing to do but amuse himself"
They had reached the veranda steps,
and she ran to the top and turned for
a moment to look at him. He still car
ried his hat and crop in one hand and
had dropped the other into the side
pocket of his coat. He was wholly at
case, and the wind rufiied his hair and
gave him boyish look that Shirley
liked. But she had no wish to be
found with him. and she instantly nod
ded his dismissal and half turned away
to go into the house, when he detained
her for a moment.
81 am perfectly willing to afford NJ
Chauvenet all imaginable entertain
ment. We are bound to have many
meetings. | am afraid he reached this
charming valley before me; but, as a
rule, | prefer to be a little ahead of
him. It's a whim, the merest whim.
| assure you"
He laughed, thinking little of what
he said, but delighting in the picture
she made the tall pillars of the veran-
da framing her against the white wall
Of the house and the architrave high
above speaking, so he thought. for the
amplitude, the breadth of her nature.
Her green cloth gown afforded the
happiest possible contrast with the
white background, and her hat-for a
| gown, let us remember, may express
the dressmaker, but a hat expresses
the woman who wears it-her hat, Ar
mitage was aware. was trife of
black velvet caught up at one side
with snowy plumes.
Her annoyance at finding herself
lingering to listen to him was marked
in an almost impercepdble gathering
Of her brows. 1t was all the matter OF
an instant His heart beat fast in his
Joy at the sight of her, and the tongue
that years of practice had skilled In
reserve and evasion was possessed by
a reckless spirit
She nodded carelessly, but said moth
ing, waiting for him to go on.
But when l wait for people they
always come-even in a strange per-
COLA" he added daringly. Nov, in
Geneva, not long ago.
He lost the nrofile and pained her