The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-10-23

impertinence to thrust my affairs upon
you, but If yor will listen / should like
to tell you-it will take but moment
why and what
'"Please do not! AS l told you. |
have no curiosity in the matter. ! can't
allow you to tell me. really don't
want to known
~ am willing that every one should
know-tomorrow-or the day after
not later
She lifted her head, as though with
the earnestness of some new thought.
''The day after may be too late.
Whatever it is that you have DONE
II have done nothing to be ashamed
| Of. / swear / have not!'
Whatever 1t is, and I don't care
what it is" 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 to
help in the search for 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 to warn me-
ut does look pretty bad" she said,
changing her tone and laughing q lit
tie. "But my brother and I've al
ways had very different ideas about
you, Mr.. Armitage. We hold briefs
for different sides Of the case"
| "Oh, I'm case, am IY And he
caught gladly at the suggestion Of
| lightness in her tone. "But I'd really
like to know what he has to do with
my affairs"
'Then you will have to ask him"
'To be sure. But the government
can hardly have assigned Captain Clai-
borne to special duty at NJ. Chauve-
nets request. swear to you that I'm
as much in the dark as you are"
| "Tm quite sure an officer of the line
! would not be taken from his duties
and sent into the country on any friv-
olous erraId. But perhaps an ambas-
sador from a great power made the re-
| quest-perhaps, fer example, it was
Baron Won Marriott"
| "Good Lordr'
| Armitage laughed aloud.
81 beg your pardon! I really beg
| your pardon! But is the ambassador
! looking for me-?
| 81 don't know. Mr.. Armitage. You
! forget that I'm only traitor and not
4 spy"
/ in, he
world" he said boldly, and his heart
leaped in him. and he spoke on with
| fierce haste. You have made sacri-
| fees for me that no woman ever made
| before for man-for a man she did
not know. And my life, whatever it is
| worth, every hour and second of it, /
lay down before you, and it is yours
to keep or throw away. 1 followed
| you halfway round the world and l
| shall follow you again and as long as
l live. And tomorrow or the day after
1 shall justify these great kindnesses,
| this generous confidence, but tonight I
have work to do"
AS they stood on the verge of the de.
file by the bridge that swung out from
the cliff like a fairy structure they
heard far and faint the whistle and
low rumble of the night train south
bound from Washington, and to both
Of them the sound urged the very real
and practical world from which for a
little time they had stolen away.
IT 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
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. /
should have gone back instantly"
"But not across that spiders web.
You must go by the long road I will
give you q 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,"
Eyes, here the lost legion made its
last stand. There lie the graves of
some of them. It's pretty story.
hope some day to know more Of II
from some such authority as yourself"
81 used to ride here on my pony
when l was a little girl and dream
about the gray soldiers who would not
surrender. 1t was as beautiful as an
old ballad. I'll wait here. Fetch the
horse" she said, "and hurry, please"
"If there are explanations to make
he began, looking at her gravely.
81 am not a person who makes ex-
plantations, Mr.. Armitage. You may
meet me at the gate"
AS he ran toward the house he met
Oscar, who had become alarmed at his
absence and was setting forth in
search of him.
"Come; saddle both the horses, Os-
car" Armitage commanded.
They went together to the barn and
quickly brought out the horses.
"You are not to come with me, .Os
carr