Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-15

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 Ameri- can embassy at London for many years. Administrations changed and ambassadors came and went, but Sin
 gleton was never molested. It was said
 that he kept his position on the sco-e
 of his wide acquaintance. he knew ev-
 cry one, and he was a great peddier 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 a kind
 ness for people he really liked.
 "Ah me! You have arrived oppor- tunely, Miss Claiborne There's mys- tery in the alr-the great Stroebel is hereunder this very roof and in dreadfully bad humor. He is dan gerous mana very dangerous man, but failing fast. Poor Austria! Count Ferdinand von Stroebel can have no successor. He's only sort of hold over from the nineteenth century, and with him and his emperor out of the way-what? For my part see only dark days ahead" And he concluded with little sigh that implied crum- bling thrones and 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 dially.
 "Why, Armitage. of all menv' 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 Mir. Armitage." The young army officer and Armitage then shook hands, and the three men stood for moment. detained. it seemed, by the old attache. who had no engagement for the next hour or two and resented the idea of being left alone.
 "One always meets Armitager' de- clared Singleton. He knows our America as well as we do-and very well 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 1t in soldiers and sailors and knew that it testified to vigorous and wholesome life
 "Of course you're not Englishw ex- claimed Singleton. annoyed as he re- or thought he did. that Ar mitage had on some other occasion made the same protest.
 I'm really getting sensitive about It." said Armitage. more to the Clai- bornes than to Singleton. But must we all be from somewhere? Is 1t so plight to be a man with out countryT'
 The mockery in. his tone was belied by the good humor In his face. His eyes caught shirley's passingly. anc she smiled at him. It seemed a natu- ral. perfectly inevitable thing to do She liked the kind tolerance with which he suffered the babble of Arthur Singleton. whom some one had called an international bore. The young mans dignity was only an expression of self respect. His appreciation of the exact proprieties resulting from this casual introduction to herself and her brother was perfect. He was already with drawing. A waiter had followed him with hs discarded newspaper. and Ar mitage took it and idly dropped 1t on . chair.
 Have you heard the news. Armi- tage! The Austrian sphinx Is herein this very houser' whispered Singleton impressiveIy.
 Yes; to be sure. Count von StrocbeI i Is here. but he will probably not rs- 1 main long. The Alps win soon be safe | leain- I am glad to have met you.s 1 He hoEad ff, fho Ciaff.ot1nn fr<I,,~3~a