Milford chronicle., 1908-08-07

/
in England-one Of those yule log and
plum pudding Christmsses you read OF
in novels. You Engllshmen"-
my dear SandersOn, don't call me
Engllshl I've told you a dozen times
that I'm not English"
$50 you did. so you did! I'd forgot
ten that you're so sensitive about It"
and Sanderson's eyes regarded Armi
tage intently for a moment. as though
he were trying to recall some previous
discussion OF the young mans nativity
81 offer you free swing at the bar
senator. May summon a Montana
cOcktail7 You taught me the ingredi
ents Once-three dashes orange bitters
two dashes acid phosphate. half a Jig
ger OF whisky and half jigger Of Ital
ian vermuth. You undermined the
constitutions OF half Montana with
that mess"
Sanderson reached for his hat with
sudden detection.
'The sprinkling cart for me! I've
got nerve specialist engaged by the
year to keep me out Of sanitariums. See
here. / want you to go with US tonight
to the secretary OF states push. Not
many OF the Montana boys get this far
from home. and I want you for exhibi-
ton purposes. Say. John. when saw
"Cinch Tight. Montana" written on the
register down there It increased my
circulation seven beats! You're all
right. and guess you're about as good
an American as they make-anywhere
John Armitagew
The function for which the senator
from Montana provided an invitation
for Armitage was a large affair in
honor of several new ambassadors. At
10 O'Clock Senator Sanderson was in
PRODUCING Armitage right and left as
one Of his representative constituents.
Armitage and he owned adjoining
ranches in Montana, and Sanderson
called upon his neighbor TO stand up
boldly for their state before the min
ions Of effete monarchies.
Mrs. Sanderson had asked Armitage
to return to her for a little Montana
talk. as she put It. after the first rush
Of their entrance was over. and as he
waited in the drawing room for an op-
pOrtunity OF speaking to her he chatted
with Franzel, an attache Of the Aus
trian embassy, to whom SandersOn had
introduced him. Franzel was a gloomy
young man with a monocle. and he
was waiting for a particular girl. who
happened to, be the daughter Of the
Spanish ambassador. And this being
his object, he had chosen his position
with care, near the door of the draw
ing room, and Armitage shared for the
moment the advantage that lay in the
Austrian's point Of view. Armitage
had half expected that the Claibornes
would be present at a function as COM
prehensive of the higher official world
as this. and he intended asking Mrs.
Sanderson If she knew them as soon
as opportunity offered. The Austrian
attache proved tiresOme, aud Armitage
was about to drop him, when suddenly
he caught sight Of Shirley Claiborne
at the far end Of the broad hall. Her
head was turned partly toward him
He saw her for an instant through the
throng. Then his eyes fell upon
Chauvenet at her side, talking with
liveliest animation. He was not more
than her own height, and his profile
presented the clean, sharp effect Of a
cameo. The vivid outline Of his dark
face held Armitsge's eyes. Then as
Shirley passed on through an opening
in the crowd her escort turned, hold
ing the way open for her. and Armi-
tage met the mans gaze.
1t was with an accented gravity that
Armltage nodded his head to some dec
laration Of the melancholy attache at
this moment. He had known when be
left Geneva that he had not done with
Jules Chauvenet, but the mans prompt
appearance surprised Armitage. he
ran over the names Of the steamers by
which Chauvenet might easily have
sailed from either a German or
French port and reached Washington
quite as soon as himself. Chauvenet
was in Washington, 1t any rate. and
not only there, but socially accepted
and in the good graces Of Shirley Clai-
borne.
The somber attache was speaking OF
the Japanese.
"They must be crushed-crushed'"
said Franzel. The two had been con
versing in French.
Eyes, he must be crushed, returned
Armitage absentmindedly, In English;
then, remembering himself, he repeat
ed the affirmation in French, changing
the pronoun.
Mrs. Sanderson was now free. She
was a pretty, vivacious woman, much
younger than her stalwart husband-a
college graduate whom he had found
teaching school near one Of his silver
mines.
"Welcome once more, constituent.
We're proud to see you, / can tell you
Our host owns some marvellous tapes
tries, and they're hung out tonight for
the world to see." She guided Armi-
tage toward the secretary's gallery on
an upper floor. Their host was almost
as famous as a connoisseur as for his