The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1908-07-09

a chair for him and took his hat. Ar
thur Singleton was an American
though he had lived abroad so long as
to have lost his; Identity with any par
ticular city or state Of his native land
He had been an attache Of the Amerl
can embassy at London for many
years. Administrations changed and
ambassadors came and went, but Sin
gleton was never molested. 1t was said
that he kept his position on the score
Of his wide acquaintance, he knew ev
cry one, ana he was great peddler of
gossip particularly about people IN
high station.
The children Of Hilton Claiborne
were not to be overlooked. He would
Impress himself upon them. as was his
way. for he was sincerely social by In
stInct and would go far to do kind
ness for people he really liked.
"Ah me. You have arrived oppor
timely, Miss Claiborne. There's mys-
terry In the air-the great Stroebel is
here-ugder this very roof and In
dreadfully bad humor. He Is dan
gerous mana Very dangerous man,
but failing fast. Poor Austria! Count
Ferdinand Won Stroebel can have no
successor. Hos only sort of hold
over froM the nineteenth century, and
with him and bis emperor out Of the
way--what3 For my part see only
dark days ahead" And he concluded
with a. little sigh that implied crum
bling thrones ana falling dynasties.
The reader OF the Neue Freie Presse.
preparing to leave his table. tore from
the newspaper an article that seemed
to have attracted him, placed 1t In his
cardcase and walked toward the door.
The eyes of Arthur Singleton lighted
In recognition. and the attache. mutter-
ing an apology to the Claibornes, ad-
dressed the young gentleman cor
daily
"Why, Armitage. Of all men, and he
rose, still facing the Claibornes with
an air Of embracing the young Ameri
cans In his greetings. He never liked
to lose an auditor and he would In no
circumstances miss chance to display
the wide circumference Of his acquaint.
ance.
"Shirley-Miss Claiborne-allow me
to present Mr.. Armitage." The young
army officer and Armitage then shook
hands. and the three men stood for a
moment, detained, 1t seemed. by the
old attache. who had no engagement
for the next hour or two and resented
the idea of being left alone.
Zone always meets Armitnger' de-
clared Singleton. HE knows our
America us well as we do-and very
we'll indeed-for an Englishman."
Armitage bowed gravely.
"You make 1t necessary for me to
disavow any allegiance to the powers
that rule Great Britain. I'm really
fair sort Of American. I have some.
times told New York people all about
Colorado, Montana, New Mexico"
His voice and manner were those OF
A gentleman. His color, as Shirley
Claiborne now observed, was that of
an outdoors man. She was familiar
With It In soldiers and sailors and |
knew that It testified to a vigorous and
wholesome life.
"Of course you're not English" ex-
'laimed Singleton. annoyed as he re-
rendered. or thought he did. that Ar
ntage had on some other occasion
made the same protest.
I'm really getting sensitive about
t. said Armitage, more to the Clai-
'ornes than to Singleton. "But must
We all be from somewhere? Is 1t so
Melancholy plight to be a man with
nut country?'
The mockery In his tone was belied
" the good humor in his face. His
yes caught Shirley's passingly, and
he smiled at him. It seemed a natu.
al, perfectly inevitable thing to do
The liked the kind tolerance with
which he suffered the babble Of Arthur
inglet0n, whom some one had called
n international bore. The young mans
ignfty was only an expression of self
aspect. His appreciation Of the exact
roprieties resulting from this casual
to herself and her brother
as perfect. He was already with
rawing. A waiter had followed him !
ith his discarded newanaDer and Arr