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

uldteIldlS ulStTlDuteu dDOut lhDle pro
duced for the purpose, and additions
to the meager bookshelf "a line of
Baedekers, a pocket atlas, a compre-
hensive American railway guide, sew
eral volumes of German and French
poetry-and the place was not SO bad.
Armitage slept for an hour after a
simple luncheon had been prepared by
Oscar. studied his letters and cable
grams-made, in fact. some notes in
regard to them and wrote replies.
Then at A o'clock he told Oscar to sad
die the horses.
ut is spring, and in April a mans
blood will not be quiet We shall go
forth and taste the air"
He had studied the map of Lamar
county with care and led the way out
Of his own preserve by the road over
which they had entered in the morn
ing. Oscar and his horses were a
credit to the training of the American
army and would have passed inspec-
Non anywhere. Armitage watched his
adtutant with approval. The man
served without question, and. quicker
Of wit than of speech. his buff gaun-
tleted hand went to his hat Srim when
ever Armitage addressed him.
They sought again the spot whence
Armitage had first looked down upon
Storm valley. and he opened his pocket
map, the better to clarity his ideas Of
tho region.
I'VE shall 20 down into the valley.
Oscar" he said, and thereafter It wa
be that led.
They struck presently into an olo
road that had been an early highway
across the mountains. Above and be-
low the forest hung gloomily and pass
ing clouds darkened the slopes and oc-
casionally spilled rain. Armitage drew
on his cloak, and Oscar enveloped him
self in a slicker as they rode through
a sharp shower. At a lower level they
came into fair weather again and,
crossing a bridge, rode down into
Storm valley. The road at once bore
marks of care, and they passed Il num-
Der of traps that spoke Enthusiastically of
cities and riders whose mounts knew
well the bride paths of Central park.
The hotel doomed massively before
them and beyond were handsome es-
tates and ambitious mansions scat
tered through the valley and on the
lower slopes.
Armitage paused in a clump of trees
and dismounted.
You will stay here until l come
back. And remember that we don't
know any one, and at our time of life,
Oscar, one should be wary Of making
new acquaintance"
He tossed his cloak over the saddle
and walked toward the inn The size
of the place and the great number or
people going and coming surprised
him, but in the numbers he saw his
own security, and he walked boldly up
the steps of the main hotel entrance.
He stepped into the long corridor Of
the inn, where many people lounged
about, and heard with keen satisfaction
and relief the click of a telegraph in
strument that seemed at once to bring
him into contact with the remote
world He filed his kilograms and
walked the length of the broad hall.
his riding crop under his arm. The
gay banter and laughter of a group of
young men and women just returned
from a drive gave him a touch of heart
ache, for there was a girl somewhere
In the valley whom he had followed
across the sea, and these people were
of her own world-they undoubtedly
knew her; very likely she came often
to this huge caravansary and mingled
with them.
At the entrance he passed Baron Won
Marhof. the Austrian ambassador.
who, by reason of the death of his roy
al chief, had taken a cottage at the
Springs to emphasize his abstention
from the life of the capital. The am
bassador lifted his eyes and bowed to
Armitage, as he bowed to great
many young men whose names he
never remembered but, oddly enough,
the baron paused, stared after Armi-
tage for moment. then shook his
head and walked on with knit brows.
Armitage had lifted his hat and passed
out, tapping his leg with his crop.
He walked toward the private houses
that lay scattered over the valley and
|
though carelessly flung from a dice
box. Many of the places were hand
some estates, with imposing houses SET
amid beautiful gardens. Half a mile
from the hotel he stopped a passing
negro to ask who owned large house
that stood well back from the road
The man answered. He seemed anx-
ious to impart further information
and Armitage awaited himself of the
opportunity.
"How near is Judge Claiborne's
placer he asked.
The man pointed. 1t was the next
house on the rlghthand side, and Ar
mitage smiled to himself and strolled
on.
He looked down in a moment upon
Dretty estate distin puished nv ITS