The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-12-19


had begun an ironicaI speech. but the
words died on his lips. The man who
stood blinking from the sudden burst
Of light was not John Armitage, but
Captain Claiborne.
The perspiration on CIaiborne's face
had made paste Of the dirt from the
potato sack. which gave him a weird ap-
pearance. he grinned broadly. adding
a fantastic horror to his visage which
caused Zmai to leap back toward the
door. Then Chauvenet cried aloud. a
cry Of anger. which brought Durand
into the hall at a jump. Claiborne
shrugged his shoulders. shook the blood
into his nurnbed arms. then turned bis
laughed He laughed long and loud
as the stupefaction deepened on the
faces OF the two men
The objects which Durand held
caused Claiborne to stare, and then he
laughed again. Durand had caught up
from hook in Amitage's room a black
cloak, so long that II trailed at length
from his arms, its red lining glowing
brightly where ii lay against the outer
black. From the folds of the cloak
sword. plucked from a trunk. dropped
upon the floor with a CLEAN of its
bright scabbard. In his right hand he
held a silver box OF orders. and as his
arm fell at the sight OF Claiborne the
gay ribbons and cleaning pendants
flashed to the floor.
1T Is not Armitage; we have made a
mistaken muttered Chauyenet tamely,
his eyes falling from Claiborne's face
to the cloak, the sword. the tangled
heap of ribbons on the floor
Durand stepped forward, = with an
oath.
'Who is the manY' he demanded.
cit is my friend Captain Claiborne
We owe the gentleman an apology
Chauyenet began.
You put it mildly" cried Claiborne In
/ English, his back to the fireplace, his
arms folded and the smile gone from
his face. II don't know your compan-
ions. NJ. Chauvenet. but you seem In
cllned to the gentle arts of kidnapping
and murder. Really, Monsieur
st is mlstakel 1t Is unpardonablel
1 can only offer you reparation-any-
thing you askl' stammered Chauvenet
"You are looking for John Armitage.
are your" demanded Claiborne hotly
without needing Chauvenet's words.
| Il 10 rro n
Storm Springs tonight at my house.
He Is q brave gentleman. and l warn
you that you will injure him at your
| peril. You may kill me here or stran-
gle me, or stick knife into me II you
will be better satisfied that way. or
you may kill him and hide his body
In these hills: but. by God. there viii
be no escape for you! The highest
powers of my government know that l
am here. Baron Won Marhof knows
that l am here. have an engage
ment to breakfast with Baron Won
Marhof at his house Mt s o'clock In
the morning. and IL am not there
every agency of the government will
| We put W WOAA W gO0r oAA- S0aSc
Chauvenet. and these other scoundrels
I who travel with you"
You are violent. my dear sir" be-
! gan Durand, whose wits were coming
back to him much quicker than
Chauvenet's.
Il am not as violent as 1 shall be If
I 1 get a troop of cavalry from Fort
| Myer down here and hunt you like rab-
/ bits through the hills. And | advise
/ you to cable Winkelried at Vienna that
the game is all of"
Chauvenet suddenly jumped toward
/ the table. the revolver still swinging
/ at arms length.
You know too much"
Il don't know any more than Armi-
/ tage and Baron Won Marhof and my
father and the honorable secretary of
state. to say nothing of the equally
honorable secretary of war"
Claiborne stretched out his arms and
| rested them along the shelf Of the
! ,roofoI ard emil