Putnam patriot., 1908-09-18

fssA Perfectly inevitable thing to do. she liked the kind tolerance with which be suffered the hahble of Arthur siia2siston- whom some one had called an international bore. The young mans dignity was only sn expression of self resTeet. His appreciation ef the exact i'FssI'-tefies resnitinc from this casual introduction to herself and her brother was perfect He was already with aFawieg. \ waiter had followed him With bis discarded newspaper. and Ar mitage took !, and Idly dropped it en chair.
 Have you heard the news, Arm tages The Austrian sphinx Is here-i this very houseg' whispered Singleton iapFessively.
 es. to lae saSe. Count ron Streebel Is here. bat be win probably not re main long The Alps will soon he safe again. l am glad to have met you" He bowed to the Claihornes inclusive ly. nodded in response to slngletonis promise to book him up later and left them.
 When Shirley and her brother reach. ed their common sitting room. Dick Claiborne langhingly held up the copy Of the Neue Freie PresSe which Arui- tage had east aside at their table.
 Now we shall knowr' he declared. unfolding the newspaper.
 Know what, pick9g
 At least what our friend without a country is so interested in
 He opened the paper. from which half a column had been torn. no.ed the date, rang the tell and ordered copy Of the same Issue When 1t was brought he opened 1t. found the place. laughed loudly and passed the sheet over 10 his sister.
 Oh. Shirley, Shirley! This is almost too much.'' he cried. watching her as her eyes swept the article She turned away 10 escape his noise and after glance threw down the paper in dis gust The article dealt in detail with Austro-Hungarian finances and fairly bristled with figures and sage con- ciusious based upon them.
 Isn't that the werstm exclaimed Shirley. smiling ruefully.
 Hes certainly romantic figure ready to your hand. Probably a bank clerk who makes European finance his recreation"
 .sHe isn't an Englishman. at any rate. He repudiated the idea with scorn.e
 Well, your MT. Armitage didn't seem so awfully excited at meeting Singleton, but he seemed rather satis- fed with your appearance. to put 1t mildly. l wonder If he had arranged with Singleton te pass by in that pure ly incidental way. just fer the priv iiege Of making your acquaintance"
 Don't be foolish. Dick. It's unbe- coming an officer and gentleman. But if you should see Mir. Singleton ag8iu"-
 "Yes-not if see him first@ ejacn- lated Claiborne
 Well you night ask him who Mr Armitage is It would be amusing and satisfying.-to know D
 Later in the day the old attaehe fell upon Claiborne in the smoking room and stopped to discuss a report that a change was impending In the Amer iean state department Changes at Washington did not trouble Singleton, who was sure of his tenure. He said as much. and after some further talk Claiborne remarked:
 Your friend Armitage seems a good sort"
 "0h. yes; capital taiker and thor oughly well posted in affairs
 "Yes; he seemed interesting. Do you happen to know where he lives when he's at home ?''
 Lord bless you, boy, I don't know anything about Armitagee splnttered Singleton. with the emphasis so thrown as to imply that of course In any other branch of human knowledge he would be found abundantly qualified to an swer questions
 But you introduced us to htm-my sister and me. assumed"-
 My dear Claiborne. I'm always in troducing peoplei It's my business to introduce people. Armitage is all right He's always around everywhere. Eve dined with him in Paris. and I've rare ly seen a man order better dinner"