Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-09-30


man, he was also possessed of de-
gree Of curiosity. He did not know
just the series ofYnctdents and confer
ences that preceded ehis 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 brotherin-law. Count Ferdi-
nand Won Stroebel, who was not a
man to stumble over so negligible a
trifle 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 Armitagc mystery; then
he cabled Vienna discEeetly for few
days and finally consulted Hilton Clai-
borne. the embassy's counsel, Mt the
Claiborne home Mt Storm Springs.
They had both gone hurriedly to
Washington, where they held a 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 Myer went a 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 manipulationsy 1t was also OF d
private and wholly,confidentia char4c
ter. Therefore he returned to his cot
tage ut Storm Springs, and the Wash
ington papers stated that he was III
and had gone back to Virginia. to take
the waters.
The Claibornej house was the. pleas
ATTEST place In Storm valley nnd thu
library comfortable place for con
ference. Dick Claiborne caught til,
gravity Of the older men as they un
folded to him the task for, which they
had asked his services. The baroi
stated the case in these words: 4
You know and have talked with thi.
man Armitage; you saw the device OF
the cigarette case and asked an ex
PLANTATION, which he refused, ,and 70,
know also Chauvenet, whoml we sus
pect of completely with the tconsp4th
tors at home. Armitage isl not tn,
false Baron Won Kissel. WeShave es
tablished that from Senator Snndersel
beyond question. But Sanlerson'l
knowledge of the man is of compare
lively recent tdate, going back abou
five years to the time Armitage pur
chased his Montana ranch. Whoever
Armitage may be. he pays his bills; b,
conducts himself like u gentleman; b,
travels ut will. and people who NEE
him say n good word for him."
.He is an agreeable man and re
markably well postediin. European poll
tics" said. Judge Claiborne. II talket
with him number of times on thu
King Edward and must say that 4
liked him."
"Chauvcneti evidently knows him
There was Undoubtedly something
back of that little trick at my supper
party at thel Army and Navy" said
Dick.
ut mightlbe, explained began thu
baron; thenshetpaused and looked from
father to son. Pardon me. but they
both manifesto some interest In Miss
Claiborne"
I'VE metz them. abroad" said Dick
"and they both turned up again In
Washington" "a
zone of tthem lis here, or has beer
here in thel valley,-why not the otherY
asked Judge Claiborne.
But of courses Shirley .knowsN moth
ing of Armttage's 81 whereabouts, n Dicl
protested.
"Certainlylnot," ydeclared' his,fGther.
How did, you'm make Armitages &C
quaintancey asked the ambassador
Some one must nEe been,responsible
for introdEingihim, ,if you,can ,re1nem
ber."
Dick laughed.
1T was In the,Mbntes RosaSat Gene
va. Shirley and had beenI chatting
each other aboutfthe persistence Will
which Armitagef seennd ITO follow US
He was taking kdejeuner, ut the same
hour, and he passed,uss,pingi out: Old
Arthur Singleton-the, utdQuituns--was
talking to US, and he, mfled Armitaee
with his customary zeal andN intro
duced him to us inNquite thef usual
American fashion. Latter Ikasked Sin
gleton who he was, and heAknew moth.
ing about him. Then aArmatagc. turned
up on the steamer, where hel made
himself most agreeable. Next, Senator
Sanderson vouched for him us one Of
his Montana constituents. You know
the rest Of the story Swallowed him
whole. He called acknowledgements sew.
erai occasions and Jeanne ITO tine post,
and ! asked him totmySsuppertfor the
Spanish attachep ~ ~