Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-11-06

A@ ~ Shirley. What lies
NAN out there in the west
\IAN is an undiscovered
kuzh country"
Then | shall have to
take the part Of the rebellous and
doubling crew There is no America.
and we're sure to get into trouble if
we don't turn back
"You shall be clapped into irons and
fed on bread and water and turned
over to the Indians as soon as we reach
land"
Don't starve me. Let me hang from
the yardarm mt once or walk the plank.
choose the hour Immediately after
dinner for my obscquies"'
They were silent for II moment. con-
tinuing their tramp. Fair weather
was peorli1g the decks. Dick Clai-
borne was cngrOssed with vivacious
California girl anC Shirley saw him
only at meals but he and Armitagc
held n'y'it sessions in the smoking
room. with Increased liking on both
sides.
Armita@c saw something of all the
Claiborncs every day in the pleasant
intimacy of ship life, and Hilton Cal
borne found The vouaE man an inter
csting talker. odge Claiborne is. rs
every one knows the best posted
American of his time in diplomatic
history, and when they were together
ArmiGlge suggested topics that were
well calculated to awaken the old law
ycr's interest
Shirley and Armitage talked-as peo-
pie will on shiphoard-of everything
under the sun. Shirley's enthusiasms
were in themselves interesting, but she
was informed in the worlds larger af-
fairs. as became the daughter of Il
man who was an authority in such
matters. and found it pleasant to dis
cuss them with Armitage. He felt the
poetic quality in her. 1t was that
which had first appealed to him, but
he did not know that something of the
same sort in himself touched her. 1t
was enough for those days that he
was courteous and amusing and gained
trifle in her eyes from the fact that
he had no tangible back ground
Then came the evening OF the fifth
day. They were taking a turn after
dinner on the lighted deck The spring
stars hung faint and far through thin
Clouds and the wind was keen from
the sea. A few passengers were out.
The deck stewards went about gather
ing up rugs and chairs for the night
Time oughtn't to be reckoned at all
Mt sea, so that people who feel them
selves getting old might sail forth into
the deep and defy the old man with
the hourglass."
81 like the idea. Such people could
become fishers-permancntly and grow
very wise from so much brain food"
"They wouldn't eat, Mr. Armitage.
Brain food forsooth, You talk like a
breakfast food advertisement My idea
mine. please note-is for such forlu-
nate people to sail in pretty little boats
with orange tinted sails and pick up
lost dreams. | got n hint of that in a
pretty poem once
Thine seemed 10 pause a little space.
! heard a dream go by"
"But out hero in midocean n little
boat with latecn sails wouldn't have
much show. And dreams passing over
the idea is pretty and is creditablc to
your Imagination. But | thought your
fancy was more militant Now for
example you like battle pictures" he
said. That was Il wonderful collec-
ton of military and battle pictures
shown in Paris last winter"
She half Withdrew her hand from his
arm and turned away. The sea winds
did not wholly account for the sudden
| color in her cheeks. She had seen Ar
mitage In Paris-in cafes. at the opera,
but not at the great exhibition of the
world famous battle pictures, yet un-
loubtedly he had seen her. and she
remembered with instant conscious
hess the hours of absorption she had
spent before those canvascs.
; Il was i'll Paris during the cXhibi-
lion,' he said quietly. "Ormsby. the
American painter-the man who did
he High Tide at Gettysburg an
acquaintance of mine"
oh
1t was Ormsby's painting that had
particularly captvated Shirley. She
had returned to it day after day, and
the thought that Armitage had taken
| Advantage of her deep interest in Pick
| TITS charging gray line was annoying
md she abruptly changed the subject
Shirley had speculated much as e
| the meaning of Armitage's remark a
The carriage door In Geneva-that he
expected the slayer of the old Austrian
prime minister to pass that way. Armi
tage had not referred to the crime IL
any way in his talks with her on tn,
King Edward. Their conversation
had been pitched usually in light an
frivolous key, or, if one were dispose
! TO be serious, the other responded in
: note of levity.
They watched the lights Of an easi