The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-09-24

tHaiDorne Sneatneu 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 a blanket ON this gen
tlcmans horse. Then make some cof-
fee and wait"
As Oscar closed the door Armitage
crossed to the table. dung down his
gauntlets and hat and turned To Clai-
borne.
II didn't expect this Of you. | really
didn't expect It, Now that you have
found me. what do you wantf"
II don't know-lll I've hanged II l
know" And Claiborne grinned so that
the GFOtesque lines OF his sOiled coun-
tenance reused Armitage's slumbering
wrath.
you'd better find out. This is my
busy night. and II you can't explain
yourself I'm going TO tie you hand and
foot and drop you down the well till
finish my work. Speak up. What are
you doiag ON my grounds. In my house.
at this hour of the night. prying into
my affairs ana rummaging In my
trunksf'
Il didn't come here. Armitage. was
brought-with a potato sack over ms
head. There's the sack on the floor,
and any OF its dirt that isn't ON my
face must be permanently settled in
my lungs"
"Whct are You doing up hero in the
mountains. Why are you not at your
statloni The potato sack story IL pref
~ fimsy. DO better than that and
hurry mp"
"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
short acquaintance. | viii tell you
frankly that | have blown hot and cold
about you as | 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. aud now
d my cigarette casel'' beloved
Armitage. clapping his hand TO his
pocket to make sure OF IT,
That's what sayl But 1t was a
disagreeable situation. You, must ad-
NIT that"
ut was indeedr'
lit requires some nerve for a man to
tell a circumstaniial story like that TO
tableful Of gentlemen about one OF
the gentlemen"
mo doubt OF IL whatever, Mr.. Clal-
Oorne."
Armltage unbuttoned his coat and
jerked back the lapels impatlently
And | knew as much about NJ.
Chauvenet as | did about you or as
do about you"
What you know Of him. Mr. Clai.
borne, Is of no consequence. And what
you don't know about me would GIL
large volume. How did you get here.
and what do you propose doing now
that you are here? | am In a hurry
and have no time TO waste II cant
get anything satisfactory out OF you
within two minutes I'm going to chuck
you back into the sack"
II came up here In the hills TO look
for you-yOu-yOu! DO you under
stand?" began Claiborne angrily. And
as | was riding along the road about
two miles from here | ran into three
parley with them aud find out what
they were doing they crept up on me
and grabbed my horse and put that
sack over my head. They had mistak-
en- me for you, and they brought me
here, into your house. and pulled the
sack of and We're decidedly disagreea-
bic at finding they had made a mis-
take. One Of them had gone in TO ran
sack your effects, and when they pull
ed OF the bag and disclosed the wrong
hare he dropped his loot on the floor.
and then | told them to go to the
devil, and hope they've done IT, When
you came In | was picking up your
traps. and l submit that the sword "
handsome enough to challenge any
body's eye. And there's all there Is Of
the story. and I don't care whether
you believe Il or not"
Their eyes were fixed upon each 9th
er In a gaze OF anger and resentment
Suddenly Armitage's tense figure re-
Taxed, the fierce light In his eyes gave
way TO CLEAN Of humor, and he
laughed long and loud
"Your 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. so In there
and wash your facet
He made a light In his own room and
piled Claiborne with towels. while he
continued to break forth occasionally
in fresh bursts OF laughter. When
they went into the hall both men were
grave.
"Claiborne''--
Armitage put out his hand. and Clai-
borne took II in vigorous clasp.
"you don't know who am or what !