Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-08-08

laratton or the melancholy attRche at
this moment he had known when he
left Geneva that be had not done with
| Jules Chsuvenet, bat the mans prompt
| appearances surprised Armitage. He
ran over the names OF the steamers by
| which Chauvenct might easily have
| sailed from either a German or a
| French port and reached Washington
| quite as soon as himself Chauvenet
was In Washington. at any rate. and
not only there. but socially accepted
and In the good gracss OF Shirley Clai-
borne.
The somber attache was speaking OF
the Japanese.
They must be crushed-crushed."
said FrRnzel The two had been con-
versing In French
yes, he must be crushed" returned
Armitage absentmindedly, in English:
then. remembering himself, be 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,
Were proud TO see you. 1 can tell you.
| Our host owns some marvellous tapes
tries, and they're hung out tonight for
the world TO see" She guided Arnl-
tage toward the secretary's gallery on
an upper door. Their host was almost
as famous as a connOisseur as for his
achievements In diplomacy. and the
gallery was a large apartment In which
every article OF furniture, as well as
the paintings, tapestries aud speci-
mems OF pottery, was the careful choice
OF a thoroughly cultivated taste.
1T isn't merely an art gallery. It's
the most beautiful room in America"
murmured Mrs. SRndersOn.
Il can well believe It There's my
fRvorite Vibert-I wondered what had
/ become Of It"
1T isn't surprising that the secretary
il making a great reputation by his
dealings with foreign powers. It's a
poor ambassador who could not be per
suaded after an hour In this splendid
room. Tho ordinary affairs OF life
should not be mentioned here A
kings coronation would not be out or
| place-in fact, there's a chair IN the
corner against that GobeIin that would
serve the situation The old gentle
man by that cabinet Is the Baron Won
Marhof. the ambassador from Austria
Hungary. He's a brother-in-law OF
Count Won Stroe5el. who was murdered
so horribly in a railway carriage a few
weeks ago"
"Ah, TO be surel I haven't seen the
baron in years. BE has changed lit
tie"
Then you knew HMM the old
country
Yes; used TO see him-when I
was a boy" remarked Armitage.
Mrs. Sanderson glanced at Armitage
sharply. She had dined at his ranch
house In Montana and knew that he
lived like a gentleman; that his house
It's appointments and service were un-
usual for western ranchman- And
| she recalled, too, that she and her hus-
band had often speculated as 60 Armi-
tage's antecedents and history without
arriving at any conclusion In regard to
him
The room had slowly filed, and they
strOlled about dividing attention be-
tween distinguished personages and
the not less celebrated works OF art.
"Oh. by the way. Mr.. Armitage.
there's the girl I have chosen for you
to marry. 1 suppose 1t would be Just
as well for you to meet her now.
though that dark little foreigner seems
70 be monopolizing her"
81 am wholly agreeable" laughed
Armitage. The sooner the better and
be done with It."
Don't be so frivolous. There you
can look safely now. She's stopped 20
speak to that bald and pink justice OF
4 the supreme court-the girl with the
brown eyes and hair. Have a carer
Shirley and Chauvenet left the ven
cradle justice. and Mrs Sanderson In
tercepted them at once.
| ''po think OF all these beautiful
things In our own American exclaimed
Shirley. And you. MIR. Armitage"-
| Among the other curios, Miss Claf-
borne" laughed John. taking her hand
but l haven't introduced you yet"
began Mrs. Sanderson, puzzled.
mo; the King Edward did that We
crossed together. Oh, NJ. Chauvenet,
let me present Mr.. Armitage." said
Shirley, seeing that the men had not
! spoken.
The situation amused Armitage, and
he smiled rather more broadly than
vas necessary in expressing his pleas
ure at meeting NJ. Chauvenet They
regarded each other with the swift in
tentness of men who are used to the
sharp exercise Of their eyes, and when
Armitage turned toward Shirley and
Mrs. Sanderson he was aware that
Chauvenet continued to regard him
with fixed gaze.
Miss Claiborne Is a wonderful sail
or. The Atlantic IS little tumultuous
at times in the spring. Sbut she reported
TO the captain every day"
Miss Claiborne is nothing If not ex-
traordinary," reclared Mrs. Sanderson
with frank admiration
THE word seems to have been coin
ed for her." said Chauvenet, his white
4 teeth showing under his thin black