The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-08-20

Wv, '''',''Sssf ~s's wholly ''"s ss
rious aud com
No' ent H',he u.B PEELED respect
1 P0'VvV Clalburne nod
ded and threw away his cigar that he
might give his whole attention to what
/ Armitage might have to say
| "A man does not like 10 have his sis
4 ter forming The acquaintance OF per
sons who are not properly voucbed for
I Except for Singleton you know moth
/ ing of me and Singleton knows very
! little OF me indeed"
/ Claiborne nodded He felt the color
creeping into his cheeks consciously as
Armitage touched upon this matter.
! Il speak to you as do because II is
your right TO know who and what |
am, for am not on the King Edward
by accident, but by intention, aud am
going TO Washington because your sis
ter lives there"
Claiborne smiled In spite OF himself
"But. my dear sir. this is most ex-
traordlnary. | don't know that | care
TO hear any more. BY listening !
seem TO be encouraging you to follow
us. It's altogether too unusual. It's
almost preposterous "
And Dick Claiborne frowned severe
ly but Armitage still met his eyes
grayely
Its only decent for man to give
his references when it's natural for
them TO be required. was educated
at Trinity college, Toronto, ! spent a
year at the Harvard law school And
! am not beggar utterly. ! own
ranch In Montana that actually pays
and thousand acres OF the best wheat
land Ia Nebraska AT the Bronx Loan
and Trust company In New York ]
have securities TO considerable
amount-I am perfectly willing that
any one who is at all interested should
inquire of the trust company officers
as to my standing with them lf !
were asked to state my occupation, ]
should have TO say that ! am cattle
herder-- what you call cowboy.
can make my living In the practice Of
the business almost anywhere from
New Mexico north to the Canadian
line | datter myself that am pretty |
good at It," aud John Armtage smiled
and took n cigarette from a box on the
table and lighted it.
Dick Claiborne was greatly Interested |
In what Armltage had said. and he
struggled between an inclination TO en-.
courage further confidence and feel. |
ing that he should, for Shirley's sake,
make ii clear 10 this young stranger |
that II was OF no consequence TO any |
member of the Claiborne family who |
his lands or the unlmpeachable char. |
acter Of his investments. But II was |
not so easy 10 turn aside fellow who |
was 40 big Of frame and apparently so
sane and SO steady of purpose as this
Armltage And there was. too. the
further consideration that while Ar
mitagc was volunteering gratutous In.
formation and assuming an interest IN
his affairs by the Claibornes that was
wholly unjustlhed. there was also the
other side OF the matter: that his ex-
plantations proceeded from motives OF
delicacy that were praiseworthy Dick
was puzzled and piqued besides TO find
that his resources as big protecting
brother were so soon exhausted What
Armitage was asking was the right
to seek his sister Shlrley's hand in
marriage. and the thing was absurd
Moreover. who was JOHN Armltagef
The question startled Claiborne into
n realization of the fact that Armitage
had volunteered considerable informa.
tion without at all answering this qnes-
tion. Dick Claiborne was a human
being and curious
Pardon me-" be asked. "but are you
an EnglishmanT
Il am not" answered Armitage II
have been so long IN America that |
feel rs much at home there as any.
v I am neither English nor
American by birth. | am. on the other
hand
He hesitated for the barcst second.
ind Claiborne was sensible OF an In.
tenslficatlon OF interest. Now AT last
here was 20 be revelation that
amounted to something
"ou the other hand" Armltage re
pcatei. n was born at FontaIne bleau.
shere my parents lived for only few
months. bnt do not consider that that
tact makes me Frenchman. Ny
bother is dead My father died very
recently | have been IN America
'nough 10 know that foreigner Is
'fien under suspicion particularly n
le have title Ny distinction In that
ap foreigner without oner John
trlnIiage laughed
~ Is, indeed. real merit declared
iick. who feii something was expect
q of bin 10 spite OF himself be
ound much 10 lIte 10 John Artnl,age.
ie particularly despised sham and pre-
ense. and he had been won BY the evi.
lent sincerity of Armitser's wish to
ppeEr well 10 his eyes
-And now" said Armliace. II aSsnre
Fgu nat hm not in the habit OF talk.
'tg 10 much about myself and IL you
viii overlook this offense promise no,
70 bcse seu again"
= hsFe lzsen Interested remarked
Dick And" be added. 4 esnao, DO