Putnam patriot., 1908-10-09

AtN NAtlt tattNN N'He @N7S-et-s- eN%ea eaFN~HF and in the good gEaecS 0f Shirley Clai- borne.
 The sonlter attashe was speaking Of the Japanese.
 They must be erasaed-cFtsshea." said Franzet The two had been ran- versing tu French.
 ~yes. he must lse crushed returued Armitsge shsestinindesiiy in English; then. remembering himself. he repeat. ed the affirmation In French. changing the pronoun
 Mrsl Sandcson was now free. She was . pretty. vtvacious woman. much younger than her stslwsrt husbsnd-a colie1s graduate whem hs had found teaching school near one of his silver minsA
 -Welcome once more. coustituent' ws'ro proud to oes you. I can tell you. Our host owns some marvellous tapes tries, and they'rs hung out tonight for the world to sss." She guided Armi- taes toward the secretary's gallery on an upper door. Their host was almost as famous as . connoisseur as fos his achievements :a diplomacy. and the gallery was . large apartment in which svery article q furniture. As well as the paintinGs. tapestries and speci- mems cf pottery. was the careful choice Of . thoroughly cultivated taste.
 ''1t isn't merely an art gallery. Its the most beautiful room in America" murmured Mira Sanderson-
 
 favortte vibert-I wondered what had become of 1t.
 ''lt isn't surprising that the secretary is making . great reputation by his dealings with foreign powers. It's . poor ambassador who could not be per suaded after an hour in tsis splendid room. The ordinary affairs of life should not be mentioned here. A kings coronation would not be out of piace-in fact. there's chair in the corner against that Gobelin that would serve the situation. The old gentle man by that cabinet is the Baron vop Marhof. the ambassador from Austria Hungary. He's brother-in-law of Count von Stroebel. who was murdered so horribly in railway carriage few weeks ago"
 "Ah, to be surel l haven't seen the baron in years. He has changed lit tie"
 ''Then you knew him-ln the old country" ?"
 .Yes; used to see him-when was boy" remarked Armitage
 H. ..I. af A tt sharply She had dined at his ranch house in Montana and knew that he lived like a gentleman; that his house. its appointments and service were un. usual for western ranchman. And she recalled too. that she and her hus- band had often speculated as to Armi. tage's antecedents and history without arriving at any conclusion in regard to him.
 The room had slowly filled. and they strolled about dividing attention be- tween distinguished persenages and the not less celebrated works of art.
 "oh, by the way. Mir. Armitage there's the girl l have chosen for you to marry. suppose 1t would be just as well for you to meet her now. though that dark little foreigner seems to be monopollzing her"
 "I am wholly agreeable" laughed Armitage "The sooner the better and be done with 1t"
 Don't be so frivolous. There. you can look safely now. She's stopped to speak to that bald and pink justice of the supreme court-the girl with the brown eyes and hair Have n carer
 Shirley and ehauvenet left the ven erable justice. and Mrs. Sanderson in tercepted them at once.
 ITO think of all these beautiful things in our own American exclaimed Shirley. And you. Mir. Armitage"-
 Among the other curios. Miss Clai. borne" laughed John. taking her hand
 But l haven't introduced you yet. began Mrs. Sanderson. puzzled.
 No; the King Edward did that We crossed together Oh, M. Chauvenet, let me present Alr. Armtage." said Shirley. seeing that the men had not spoken.
 The situation amused Armitage. an1 he smiled rather more broadly than was 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 f. him with fixed gaze.
 Miss Claiborne is a wonderful saii- or. The Atlantic is little tnmultrons at times in the spring, but 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 teeth showing under hIs thin black mustache.
 And still leaves the language dis- tinguIshed chiefly for It's poverty added Armitage, and the men bowed to Shirley and then to Mrs. Sanderson and again to each other. lt was like . rehearsal of some tri6e in . comedy.
 How charminSw laughed Mrs- San derson. And this lovely room is just the place for it."
 They were still taking togethsr e Franzel, with whom Afmitags had spoken below, entered hursledly. He held . crumpled note. whoss contents 1t seemed had shaken him out of his habItuaI melancholy composurs
 "Is Baron von Asrhof in the roomr he asked of Armitass, fumbling nefv- ously at his monocie.