The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-10-08
Chapter XIII


- tie In advance. bis
baud on Oscars arm
to check the rush OF the little man.
Claiborne sbeathed the sword. placed
II on the table and folded his arms
Yes. they are very interesting"
And those ribbons and that cloak.
: | assure you they are OF excellent quail.
ity. Oscar put q blanket on this gen.
tleman's horse Then make some cof
fee and wait"
As Oscar closed the door Armitage
crossed to the table. nung down his
gaunuets aud hat and turned TO Clai-
borne.
II didn't expect this OF you. l really
didn't expect It, Now that you have
found me, what do you wantT'
Il don't know-Ill be hanged II
know And Claiborne grinned so that
the grotesque lines OF his solled coun.
tenance reused Armitage's mbertng
wrath.
YOU'D better 6nd out! This Ii my
busy night, and II you can't explain
yourself rm going to tie you hand and
foot and drop you down the well till
finish my work. Speak upl What are
you doing on my grounds. In my house.
at this hour OF the night prying into
my Affairs and rummaging in my
trunksY'
II didn't come here. Armitage. I was
brought-with q potato sack over my
head. There's the sack on the door,
and any OF Its dirt that isn't on my
face must be permanently settled In
my lungs"
what are you doing up here In the
mountainsf Why are you not at your
stationl The potato sack story Is pret-
ty fiimsy. Do better than that and
hurry upr'
"Armitage"-as he spoke Claiborne
walked to the table and rested his fin
ger tips on it-"Armitage, you and
have made some mistakes during our
frankly that have blown hot and cold
about you as l never did before with |
another man In my life. On the ship |
coming over and when ! met you In |
Washington thought well Of you.
Then your cigarette case shook my |
confidence In you there at the Army |
and Navy club that night and now
ID my cigarette caser' beloved |
Armitage. clapplng his hand to bis
pocket to make sure Of II.
THAT'S what sayi But II was q
disagreeable situation. You must sd.
init that"
ut was indeedr'
1T requires some nerve for man to
tell a clrcumstantial story like that to
a tableful OF gentlemen about one Of
the gentlemenw
mo doubt Of It whatever, Mr.. Clai-
borne"
Armitage unbuttoned his coat and
jerked back the lapels impatiently.
"ADd knew as much about NJ
Chauvenet ~ did about you or a. ]
do about you"
what you know OF him. Mr.. Clai.
borne. Is Of no consequence. And what
you don't know about me would fll q
large volume. How did you get here.
and what do you propose doing now
that you are heref | am In hurry
and have no time to waste. II | cant
ret anything satisfactory out Of you
within two minutes I'm going to chuck
you back Into the sack"
~ came up here In the bills 10 look
for you-you-youl Do you under
standr began Claiborne angrily. "And
Us | was riding along the road about
two miles from here ! ran into three
men on horseback When stopped to
parley with them and find out what
they were doing they crept up on me
Dad grabbed my horse and put that
rack over my bead. They had mistak-
en- me for you. and they brought mo
here, into your house. and pulled the
sack off and were decidedly disagreea-
BILE at finding they had made a mis-
take One Of them had gone In to ran. [
rack your effects, and when they pull.
ed OF the bag and disclosed the wrong
hare be dropped bis loot on the door,
and then told them to 20 to the
Sevil. and hope they've done IT. When
you came In ] was picking up your
traps, and ! submit that the sword Ii
handsome enough to challenge any
body's eye. And there's all there Is OF
the story. and don't care whether
you believe II or not"
Their eyes were dIed upon each 9th
Or In q gsze Of anger and resentment
Suddenly Armimge's tense figure rr- {
laIed the nerce light In his eyes gave
way to . CLEAN OF humor. and be
laughed long and loud.
"iour face--your face, Claiborne. It's {
funny. It's too funny for any use.
When your teeth show, It's something
CHASTITY. For Gods sake. 60 in there
and wash your facet"
He made light In his own room and
piled Claiborne with towels. while he I
continued to break forth occasionally 9
in fresh bursts OF laughter. When .
they went into the hall both men we're
grave.
'CIsiborne"--
Arrniiage put out his hand. and Gal
borne took II In a vigorous clasp. I
"you don't know who am or what I
am. and haven't got time to tell you :
now It's long story. and have
much to do. but swear to you. Clai- .
borne. that my hands sre clean: that .
the game | am playing Ia no snaIr Of
my own, but q big thing that ! have I
pledged myself to carry through. :
want you 10 rids down there In the I
valley and keep Marhof quiet for q 7
fex hours. Tell him ] know morv of .
what's going on In Vienna than be does Q
and that n be viii only sii In . rock. Y
ing chair and tell you fairy stories TN
morning. We can all BE- happy is ~
s5srgsin--o -ov-muxi stiii hang your
bead down the we'll TIL get thoughf' Z
sfnf ma. x.a a.. ffs asxllf HSts u