Putnam patriot., 1908-11-27

N quarters at Fort Nyer. | lAA[ Being soldier. be obey @ - ed orders, but being hu- man. he was also possessed of de gree Of curiosity, He dld not know just the series of incidents and confer. ences that preceded his summons to Washington. but they may ee sum. mariEed thus:
 Baron vun Marhof was cautious man. When the young gentlemen of his legation spoke to hiin 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 ven Kissel and studied the heraidic emhlems of the Schomburgs. As he pondered he regretted the death of his eminent brother-in-law. Count Ferdi. nand von Etroebel. who was not a man to stumble over so negligible . trifie as . cigarette case. But Von 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 Armitage mystery: then be cahled Vienna discreetly for a few days and finally consulted Hilton Clai- borne. the embassy's counsel. at the Claiborne home at storm Springs.
 They had both gone hurriedly to Washington. where they held long conference with the secretary of state Then the state department called the war department by telephone. and quickly eown the line te the command ing officer at Fort Myer went n speela, assignment for Captain Claiborne 10 report 10 the secretary ef state. A great deal of perfectly sound red tape was reduced to minute particles In these ranipulations. 1t was also of a private and wholly confidential charac. ter. Therefore he returned to his cot tage at storm Springs. and the Wash. ington papers stated that he was III and had gone back to Virginia 10 take the waters
 The Claiborne house was the pleas antest place in storm valley and the library a comfortable place for a con ference. Dick Claiborne caught tht gravity of the older men as they un folded to him the task for which they had asked his services. The barof stated the case fin these words:
 You know and have talked with this man Armitage: you saw the device or the cigarette case and asked an ex panation. which he refused. and vol know also Chauveuet whom We sus peet of eomplicity with the conspira tors at home. Armitage Is not thu false Baron von kissei. We have es beyond question. But Sandefsoni knowledge of the man is Of compara lively recent date. going back abou five years 10 the time Armitage pur chased his Montana ranch Whoeye Armitage may be. he pays his bills: h' conducts himself like q gentleman: h. travels at will. and people who mee him say good word for him" "fIe is an agreeable man and re markably well posted In European poll ties" said Judge Claiborne. "I talked with him q number of times on thu King Edward and must say that liked him"
 .Chanvenet evidently knows him There was undoubtedly somethini back cf that little trick at my suppe party af the Army and Navy" sait Dick
 -lt might be explained"- began til' baron: then he paused and looked iron fathey to son. Pardon me. but the! both manifest some interest in Mis- Claiborne"
 We met them abroad" said Dick "and they both turned up again fl Washington"
 "One of them is here. or has beer here in the valley-why not the otherf' asked Judge Claiborne.
 But of course Shirley knows noth ing of Armifage's whereabouts" Dici protested.