Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-29
Tot Of me. l hone"-

aNfN VI me- 4 nRlt
Certainly not. But it has occurred
10 me that you may have the conccit
OF your own mystery, that you may
take rather too much pleasure in mys-
tifying people as to your IDENTITY"
THAT is unllind-that is unkind. -
and he spoke without resentment. but
softly. with falling cadence He sud
denly threw down the hat ne had held
I'm bis hand. and extended his arms to
ward her
you are not unkind or unjust. You
have right TO know who am and
what ] am doing here. 1t seems an
impertinence to thrust my affairs upon
You. but II you VIII listen should like
20 tell you-it will take but a moment
why and what
please DO notl AS 1 told you. !
have no curiosity in the matter. I can't
allow you 70 tell me- / really don't
want 90 knowr'
Il am willing that every one should
know -tomorrow-or the day after
not later"
She lifted her head, as though with
the carnestness Of some new thought
The day after may be too late.
Whatever it is that you have DONE
Il have done nothing 20 be ashamed
Of ] swear I have nOtr'
Whatever # IS. and ] don't care
what it u.s." she said deliberately. lit
is something quite serious. Mr.. Armi-
tage. My brother
She hesitated for a moment then
spoke rapidly.
My brother has been detailed 10
help in the search fot you. He is at
Storm Springs now"
but he doesn't understand
my brother is a soldier and It is
not necessary for him TO understand"
And you have done this-you have
come 90 warn me-
1t does hook pretty bad" she said.
changing her tone and laughing lit
tie. But my brother and I've al
ways had very different ideas about
you. Mr.. Armitage. We hold briefs
Tor different sides Of the case"
"Oh, I'm a case. am r. And he
caught gladly at the suggestion OF
lightness in her tone. "But Ia really
like To know what he has TO do with
my affairs"
Then you will have 90 ask him"
ITO be sure. But the government
can hardly have assigned Captain Clai-
borne 20 special duty at NJ Chauve-
nets request. / swear TO you that I'm
as much in the dark as you are"
I'm quite sure an officer OF the line
would not be taken from his duties
and sent into the country on any friv-
olous errand. But perhaps an ambas-
sador from "a great power made the re-
quest-perhaps, for example. II was
Baron Won Marriott"
Good I,ordr'
Armitage laughed aloud.
Il beg your pardon. / really beg
your pardonl But is the ambassador
looking for mey"
Il don't know. Mr.. Armitage. You
forget that I'm only a traitor and not
a spy"
You are the noblest woman I'm the
world" he said boldly, and his heart
leaped In him, and he spoke on with a
fierce haste. you have made sacri-
fees for me that no woman ever made
before for a man-for n man she did
not know. Aud my life, whatever IL is
worth. every hour and second OF IL,
lay down before you. and IL IS yours
90 keep or throw away. ! followed
you halfway round the world. and l
shall follow You again and as long as
/ live. And tomorrow or the day after
/ shall Justify these great kindnesses.
this generous confidence, but tonight
have a work 10 do"
AS they stood on the verge OF the de-
fle by the bridge that swung out from
the cliff Ike a fairy structure they
heard far and faint the whistle and
low rumble OF the night train south
bound from Washington. and 10 both
Of them the sound urgN the very real
and practical world from which for q
little time they had stolen away.
Il must go back" said Shirley and
turned TO the bridge and put her hand
on its slight iron frame, but he seized
her wrists and held them tight.
you have risked much for me, but
you shall not risk your life again In
my cause. You cannot venture across
that bridge again"
She yielded without further parley,
and he dropped her wrists at once.
please say no more. You must not
make me sorry l came. / must go. 1
should have gone back instantly"
But not across that spiders web
You must 20 by the long road viii
give you a horse and ride with you
into the valley"
1T is much nearer by the bridge, and
/ have my horse over there"
1--WE shall get the horse without trou-
ble," he said, and she walked beside
him through the starlighted wood AS
they crossed the open tract she said:
This Is the Port OF Missing Men"
"Yes, here the lost legion made its
last stand. There lie the graves Of
some Of them. It's a pretty story. /
hope some day to know more OF IL
from some such authority as yourself"
Il used TO ride here on my pony
when was a little girl and dream
about the gray soldiers who would not
surrender. IL was as beautiful as an
old ballad I'll walt here. Fetch the