Milford chronicle., 1908-11-27
voice rose to a roar.

voice rose to a roar
then turn around; AR. Armitag,
is just behind your
Eyes; / needed my man for other
business" said Armitage. folding his
arms. land as you were very much DC
cupied | made free with the rear We
randa and changed places with him"
Claiborne walked slowly toward him
the anger glowing in his face.
You are worse than | thought
eaveSdropper. housebreakerl"
Yes; l am both those things. Cap
tain Claiborne. But am also in a
great hurry. What do you want with
me?"
'You are a rogue. an impostor"-
ave will grant that" said Armitage
where is your warrant for my ar
-ast?"
THAT will be forthcoming fast
enough. | want you to understand
that have personal grievance
against you"
1T must wait until day after tomor-
row, Captain Claiborne. l will come
20 you here or wherever you say on the
day after tomorrow"
Armitage spoke with a deliberate
sharp decision that was not the tone
Of a rogue or a fugitive. AS he spoke
he advanced until he faced Claiborne
in the center of the room Shirley still
stood by the window. holding the soied
paper in her hand. She had witnessed
the change of the men at the end of
the room. 1t had touched her humOr.
1t had been a joke on her brother but
she felt that the night had brought a
crisis. She could not continue to shield
a man of whom she knew nothing save
that he was the object of a curious
enmity. The coup de theatre by which
Armitage had taken the place of his
servant had amused her for a moment,
but she was vexed and angry now that
he had dared come again to the house
You are under arrest, Mr.. Armitage.
l must detain you here" said Claiborne
in America-in free Virginia-with-
out legal process?" asked Armitage.
laughing.
you are a hOusebreaker, that is
enough. Shirley. please gor
you were not detached from the
army to find a hOusebreaker. But
will make your work easy for you
day after tomorrow 1 will present my
self to you wherever you say. But
nOw-that cable message which my
man found in your sheep pasture is Of
importance. l must trouble you to |
read it to me-"
Nor shouted Claiborne.
Armitage drew a step nearer.
"YOu must take my word for 1t that
matters of Importance. Of farreaching
hang upon that message
l must know what it is"
you certainly have magnificent
cheek! l am going to take that paper
to Baron Won Marhof at once"
do sO-but l must know first! Bar
on Won Marhof and are on the same
side in this business. but he doesn't
1t, and it is clear you don't
Give me the message"
He spoke cOmmandingly, his voice
thrilling with earnestness, and jerked
out his last words with angry impa-
tience. At the same moment he and
Claiborne stepped toward each other
with their hands clinched at their
sides.
81 don't like your tone, Mr.. Armi-
tager'
q don't like to use that tone, Captain
Shirley walked quickly to the table
Ind put down the message. Then, go
ng to the door. she paused as though
" an afterthOught and repeated quite
lowly the words:
"Wlnkelried-Vi enna--nOt later than
shirley roared Claiborne.
John Armitage bowed to the already
-acant doorway, then bounded into the
lal out upon the veranda and ran
through the garden to the side gate,
where Oscar waited.
Half an hour later Captain Claiborne,
fter an interview with Baron Won
larhof, turned his horse toward the
ills.