Putnam patriot., 1908-10-09

| 4 T fl
 ;; E. ';: :..: :s:;::: :s::: 'H
 Ing a poker game
 or had come to S"dsoF SandersoN
 sneak . claim past tho watchdog of
 the treasury"
 The caller threw himsslf Into . chair
 and rolled . fat unlighted cigar about
 In bis mouth. -You'rs . peach, all
 right and as extensively hale and hand
 some as ever. When arc you going to
 the ranchy
 Well. not just immediate lwans
 to sample the neshpots for . day CT
 two"
 "fou're getting soft; thaes what the
 matter with you You're afraid of the
 spring ssphyrs on the Montana range.
 We'll I'll admit that it's rather moro
 diverting hers."
 There ts no debating that senator
 How do you like being a statesman
 It was SO sudden and all that read
 an awful roast of you in an English
 paper. They took your election to the
 senate as another evidence of the com
 piete domination of our politics by the
 plutocrats"
 Sanderson winked prodigiousiy.
 The papers have rather skinned me :
 but, on the whole. I'll do very we'll
 They say IL isn't respectable to be a
 senator these days. but they oughtn't t
 to hold 1t up against a man that he's
 rich. If the Lord put silver in the I mountains of Montana and let me dig
 1t out. it's nothing against ne. is it?" l Decidedly notl And if you want to 1 invest it in senatorship it's the
 Lords hand again"
 l Why. sure,. And the senator from l Montana winked once more But it's I expensive. Eve got to be elected again
 next winter-fm only filling out Bill l ings' term-and I'm not sure l can 70 I up against it."
 l But you are nothing 1. not unselfsh.
 If the good of the country demands 1t | you'll not falter. if know you" | There's hot water heat in this hotel.
 so please turn on the hot air. saw 1 your foreman In Helena the last time | l was out there, and he was sober
 mention the fact knowing that I'm jeopardizing my reputation for yeraci- ty, but it's the Lords truth. Of course l you spent Christmas at the old home
 in Engiand-one of those yule log and in novels. You Englishmen"-
 My dear Sanderson. don't call me
 Englshl I've told you a dozen times that I'm not English"
 ''So you did. SO you did! I'd forgot ten that you're so sensitive about It." and Sanderson's eyes regarded Armi- tage intently for 6 moment. as though discussion of the young mans nativity. ''I offer you free swing at the bar, senator. May I summon Montana | cocktail? You taught me the ingredi.
 ents once-three dashes orange bitters.
 two dashes acid phosphate. half a jig I ger of whisky and half jgger of Ital- | ian yermuth. You undermined the constitutions of half Montana with | that mess"
 Sanderson reached for his hat with I sudden dejectlon.
 "The spriDkling cart for mel I've | got nerve specialist engaged by the | year to keep me out of sanitariums. See | here. want you to go with us tonight | to the secretary of states prsh. Not | many of the Montana boys get this far | from home. and want you for eyhibi- l ton purposes. Say. John, when saw | "Cinch Tight, Montana" written on the register down there 1t increa sed my circulation seven beatsi You're all 1 right. and I guess you're about as good an American as they make-anywhere John Arrnltagei"
 The function for which the senator | from Montana provided an invitation | for Armitage was large affair In | honor of several new ambassadors At | 10 o'clock Senator Sanderson was in- troducing Armltage right and left as one Of his representative constituents | Armtage and he owned. adjoining
 ranches fin Montana. and sanderson
 boldly for their state before the min ions of effete monarchies.
 Mrs. Sanderson had asked Armitage to return to her for T little Montana talk. as she put it, after the first rush of their entrance was over. and as he waited in the drawing room for an op- portunity of speaking to her he chatted with Franzel. an attache of the Aus trian embassy. to whom Sanderson had introduced him. Franzel was gloomy young man with a monocle. and he was waiting for . particular girl. who happened to bs the daughter of the epanish ambassador. And, this being sis object, hs had chosen his position with care, near the door of tte draw ing room. and Armitage shared for the moment the advantage that lay in the Austrian's point of view. Armftage had half expected that the Ciaibornes would bs present at . function as com prehensivs of the higher oncial world as this. and he intended asking Mn. Sanderson If she knew them as soon as opportunity offered Tho Austrian attache proved tiresome, and Armitags was bout to drop him, when suddenly he caught sight of Shirley Claiborne If the far end of the broad hall. Her head was turned partly toward him He saw her for an instant through the throng. Then his eyes fell upon chauyenet at her side. talking with ltyeliest animation. He was not more than her own height, and his pronas nresented the clean, sharp effect Of a cameo. The vivid outline of his dark faea held Armitage's eyes. Then as Shirley passed on through an opening in the crowd her escort turned, hold ing the way open for her. and Arini- tage met the mans gaze
 | + was with an accented gravlfy that l .rf.Gsaee nodded his head to some dec asar1bnfr aftarhr at