Putnam patriot., 1908-12-25
THE PUTNAM PATRloI December ss ,eos

here wSS <reat color in AFnk tage's face as be strQsTe af~aut prtsgar. l ins to leave Ills eyes danced With ex, eitement- and hefween the sentences { that he icrSea oul half te himsef9 he waisflel few tars fresa a comic ossera that was making recarl run an Broadway Ills steps rang oat viSor. epsly from tlae hane agae asa= Watch tae windows. 0sesr Yau may forgive a general anything bat q [ surprise lsat tAat So. Claiborne And those fellows must he pretty mad ! by this tlmc Excuse the eaiEee sere ice Claiborne We always pour The sasar from the paper bag original paekaSe. you understand. And sae z you can't find Captain Claiborne q hat. Oscar
 With lin cup of steaaing coffee tn llas hand he sas oa tbc tahis dangl5ug his legs. his hat en rhe back of hlS head, the rarfridee belt strapped ahnui his waist over q brown corduroy hanf lnc coat He was in high mood and chaifed Oscar as te the Rrola hility or their ereakfasting another morning If we de. Oscar. it shall be in good cause
 He threw aside his cup with q cIat- ter. jumped down and caught the sword from the table. examined It critically. then sheashed 1t with click.
 Claiborne had watched Armtage with growing Impatience He re. sented the idea ef being thus ignored Then he put his hand roughly on Armi= tage,s shoulder.
 Artnitage. intent with his own affairs had not looked at Claiborne for several minutes. bat he glanced at him now AS though just recalling q duty.
 Lord. man. l didn't mean to throw you into the road, There's a clean bed in there that you're welcome to Go in and get some sleep"
 I'm not going into the valley" roar ed Claiborne. and I'm not going to bed I'm going with you"
 But bless your. soul. man. you can't go with me, You are as ignorant as babe Of my affairs, and I'm terribly busy and have no time to talk 10 you. Oscar. that coffee scalded me Clai borne. if only l had time. you know. but under existing eireumstances--
 T repeat that Fun going with you don't know why I'm in this row. and l don't know what it's all about. hut believe what you say about it. and went you to understand that can't be put in bag like prize potato with cut taking whaek at the man who put me there"
 But if you should get hurt. Glai- borne 1t would spoil my plans. never could face your family again. said Ar mitage earnestly. Take your horse and go"
 I'm going back to the valley when you do"
 "Humph. Drink your coffee! Oscar. bring out the rest of the artillery and give Captain Claiborne his choice"
 He picked up his sword again. flung the blade from the scabbard with a swish and cut the air with it. hum ming few bars Of a German drinking song Then he broke out with;
 T do not think a braver gentleman. More active valiant or more valiant
 young,
 More daring or more bold is now alive To grace this latter age with nebte needs For mv part. l may speak il ,o my shame. l have truant been te ehtvsiry- Lord. Claiborne. you don't know what's ahead of us. It's the greatest thing that ever happened never ex. perted anything like this. net on my eheerfnlest days. Dearest Jules is out looking for a telegraph office to pull off the Austrian end of the rumpns. Well, little good it will do him And we'll catch him and Durand and that Ser vian devil and lock them up here It'll Marhof decides what to do with him We're off,"
 "All ready. sir" said oscar brisiiy.
 Its half l>>st ? They didn't get of their message at Lamar because the office is closed and the operator gone, end they will keep out of the valley and away from the big inn because they are rather worried by this time and not anxious to get too near Mar hof They've probably decided to go 10 the next station below Lamar to do their telegraphing. Meanwhile they haven't got me,'
 They had me and didn't want me. said Claiborne mounting his owD horse
 They'll have a good many things they don't want in the next twenty four hours If ! hadn't enjoyed this business so much myself we might have had some secret service men post. ea sll along the coast 10 keep look out fo.. them. But it's been great old lark A...i now to catch them,
 outside the preserve they paused for an instant