The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-10-08

X tain Richard Claiborne
SNS " packed suit case in his
n quarters at Fort Myer
W. Being soldier, he obey
@ q ed orders: but. being hu-
man, he was also possessed Of de-
gree of curiosity. He did not know
just the series of incidents and confer
ences that preceded his summons to
Washington, but they may be sum-
married. thus:
Baron Won Marhof was a cautious
man. When the young gentlemen of
his legation spoke to him in awed
whispers of cigarette case bearing an
extraordinary device that had been
seen in Washington he laughed them
away; then, possessing a curious and
thorough mind. he read all the press
clippings relating to the false Baron
Won Kissel and studied the heraldic
emblems of the Schomburgs. As he
pondered he regretted the death Of his
eminent brother-in-law, Count Ferdi-
nand Won Stroebel, who was not
man to stumble over SO negligible
trife as cigarette case. But Won Mar
hof himself was not without resources.
He told the gentlemen Of his suit that
he had satisfied himself that there was
nothing in the Armitage mystery; then
he cabled Vienna discreetly for few
days and finally consulted Hilton Clai-
borne, the embassy's counsel. at the
Claiborne home at Storm Springs.
They had both gone hurriedly to
Washington, where they held q long
conference with the secretary of state.
Then the state department called the
war department by telephone. and
quickly down the line to the command
ing officer at Fort Myec went special
assignment for Captain Claiborne to
report to the secretary of state A
great deal of perfectly sound red tape
was reduced to minute particles in
these manipulations: it was also of a
private and wholly confidential charac-
ter. Therefore he returned to his cot
tage at Storm Springs. and the Wash
ington papers stated that he was i'll
and had gone back to Virginia to take
the waters.
The Claiborne house was the pleas
ATTEST place in Storm valley and the
library a comfortable place for con-
ference. Dick Claiborne caught the
gravity of the older men as they un-
folded to him the task for which they
had asked his services. The baron
stated the case in these words:
"You know and have talked with this
man Armitage: you saw the device on
the cigarette case and asked an ex-
PLANTATION. which he refused. and you
know also Chauvenet, whom we sus-
pect Of completely with the conspira-
tors at home. Armitage is not the
false Baron Won Kissel. We have es-
tablished that from Senator Sanderson
beyond question. But Sanderson's
knowledge of the man is of compare
lively recent date. going back about
five years to the time Armitage pur-
chased his Montana ranch. Whoever
Armitage may be. he pays his bills; he
conducts himself like gentleman; he
travels at will. and people who meet
him say good word for him."
"He is an agreeable man and re-
markably we'll posted in European poll
TICS" said Judge Claiborne. 81 talked
with him q number of times on the
King Edward and must say that
liked him."
"Chauvenet evidently knows him.
There was undoubtedly something
back of that little trick at my supper
party at the Army and Navy" said
Dick.
1T might be explained began the
baron; then he paused and looked from
father to son. Pardon me, but they
both manifest some interest in Miss
Claiborne"
"We met them abroad" said Dick.
land they both turned up again in
Washington
zone Of them is here, or has been
here in the valley-why not the other|
asked Judge Claiborne.
"But Of course Shirley knows moth
ing of Armitage's whereabouts" Dick
protested.
Certainly not" declared his father.
rHow did you make Armitage's ac-
Quaintance" asked the ambassador.
"Some one must have been responsible
for introducing him, if you can remem-
ber."
Dick laughed.
at was in the Monte Rosa at Gene
va. Shirley and had been chatting
each other about the persistence with
which Armitage seemed to follow als.
He was taking dejeuner at the same
hour, and he passed us going out. Old
Arthur Singleton-the ubiquitous was
talking to us. and he nailed Armitage
with his customary zeal and intro
duced him to us in quite the usual
American fashion. Later asked Sin
gleton who he was, and he knew moth
ing about him. Then Armitage turned
up on the steamer, where he made
himself most agreeable. Next Senator
Sanderson vouched for him as one OF
his Montana constituents. You know
the rest of the story. I swallowed him
whole. He called at our house on sew
eral occasions and came to the post.