Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-26

to the meager bookshelf --a line a
 Baedeksrs. pocket atlas. compre
 hensise American railway guide, sey
 eral volumes of German and Frencl
 poetry-and the place was not so bad
 Armifage slept for an hour after
 simple luncheon had been prepared by
 Oscar. studied his letters and cable
 grams-made. in fact. some notes 1T
 regard to them and wrote replies
 Then at 1 o'clock he told Oscar to sad
 de the horses.
 1 Tt is spring, and in April man,
 blood will not be quiet. We shall go forth and taste the air." tts
 He had studied the map of Lama,
 county with care and led tho way out
 of his own preserve by the road over
 which they had entered in the morn.
 ing, Oscar and his horses were a
 credit to the training of the American
 army and would have passed inspec.
 ton anywhere. Armitage watched his
 ad5utant with approval. The man
 served without question, and, quicker
 of wit than of speech. his bun gaun-
 tletcd hand went to his hat brim when- ever Armitage addressed him.
 They sought again the spot whence Armitage had first looked down upon Storm valley, and he opened his pocket map, the better to clarify his ideas of the region.
 We shall go down into the valley, Oscar." he said, and thereafter 1t was he that led.
 They struck presently into an old road that had been an early highway across the mountains. Above and be- low the forest hung gloomily, and pass Ing clouds darkened the slopes and oc- casionally spilled rain.. Armitage drew on his cloak, and Oscar enveloped him. self in slicker as they rode through a sharp shower. At lower level they came into fair weather again and, crossing bridge, rode down into Storm valley. The road at once bore marks of care, and they passed a num- Der of traps that spoke unmistakably of cities and riders whose mounts knew well the bridle paths of Central park. The hotel loomed massively before them and beyond were handsome es- tates and ambitious mansions scat tered through the valley and on the lower slopes.
 Armitage paused in clump of trees and dismounted. ,t -0.r f-ts
 You will stay here until come back. And remember that we don't know any one, and at our time of life, Oscar, one should be wary of making new acquaintances."
 He tossed his cloak over the saddle and walked toward the inn. The size of the place and the great number of people going and coming surprised him, but in the numbers he saw his own security, and he walked boldly up the steps of the main hotel entrance. He stepped into the long corridor of the inn, where many people lounged about, and heard with keen satisfaction and relief the click of telegraph in- strument that seemed at once to bring him into contact with the remote world. He filed his telegrams7 and walked the length of the broad hall, his riding crop under his arm. The gay banter and laughter of group of young men and women just returned from drive gave him touch of heart ache, for there was girl somewhere in the valley whom he had followed across the sea, and these people were of her own world-they undoubtedly knew her; very likely she came often to this huge caravansary and mingled with them.
 At the entrance he passed Baron von Marhof, the Austrian ambassador, who, by reason of the death of his roy al chief, had taken a cottage at the Springs to emphasize his abstention from the life of the capital. The am bassador lifted his eyes and bowed to Armitage, as he bowed to a great | many young men whose names he never remembered; but, oddly enough, the baron paused, stared after Armi- tage for moment, then shook his | head and walked on with knit brows. Armitage had lifted his hat and passed out, tapping his leg with his crop.
 He walked toward the private houses that lay scattered over the valley and along the gradual slope of the hills as though carelessly flung from a dice box. Many of the places were hand some estates, with imposing houses set amid beautiful gardens. Half a mile from the hotel he stopped a passing negro to ask who owned large house that stood well back from the road. The man answered. He seemed anx- ous to impart further information, | md Armitage availed himself of the |
 How near is Judge Claiborne's place" he asked. The man pointed. It was the next ! ,ouse on the righthand side, and Ar X nitage smiled to himself and strolled i ,n.
 He looked down in a moment upon pretty estate. distinguished by it's ormal garden, but with the broad ' cres of a practical farm stretch \ ng far out into the valley. The lawn q erraces were green, broken only by i 'lots of spring flowers. The walks were walled in box and privet. The ouse, of the pillared colonial type,