Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-10-23
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{ ChapterV
A LOST CIGARETTE CASE.

tage about the body with
N@ his legs while he struck
8A match on a box he pro-
WI duced from his pooSet.
@ The suddenness with
which he had been flung
into the kitchen had Knocked the
breath out Of Armitage. and the huge
thighs Of his captor pinned his arms
tight. The match spurted fire, and he
looked into the face of the servant
Yhom he had seen in the room above.
His round head was covered with short
wirelike hair that grew low upon his
narrow forehead. Armitage noted, too,
the mans bull-like neck. small sharp
eyes and bristling mustache. The fit
full fash of the match disclosed the
rough furniture of kitchen. The
brick flooring and his wet inverness
lay cold at Armltage's back.
The fellow growled an execra ton In
Servian. Then with ponderous diff.
Guilty asked a question in German.
"Who are you and what do you want
here?"
Armitage shook his head and replied
I'm English:
II do not understand"
The man struck a series of matches
that he might scrutinize his captive's
face, then ran his hands over Armi-
tage's pockets to make sure he had no
arms. The big fellow was clearly puz-
zled to find that he had caught gem
tleman in water soaked evening clothes
lurking In the area, and as the matter
was beyond his wits 1t only remained
for him to communicate with his mas
ter.
This, however, was not SO readily
accomplished. He had reasons Of his
own for not calling out, and there were
difficulties in the way of holding the
prisoner and at the same time bring
ing down the men who had gone to the
most distant room in the house for
their own security.
Several minutes passed during which
the burly Servian struck his matches
and took account of his prisoner, and
meanwhile Armitage lay pc. iectly still.
his arms fast numbing from the rough
clasp Of the stalwart servants legs.
There was nothing to be gained by a
struggle In this position, and he knew
that the Servian would not risk losing
him in the effort to summon the odd
pair who were bent over their papers
at the top Of the house. The Servian
was evidently a man Of action.
Get up" he commanded, still in
rough German. and he rose in the dark
and jerked Armitage after him. There
was moment of silence in which Ar
mitage shook and stretched himself,
and then the Servian struck another
which he held pointed at Armitage's
head.
81 will shoot" he said again In his
halting German.
Undoubtedly you will" and some
thing In the fellows manner caused
Armitage to laugh. He had been
caught, and he did not at once see any
his plight had its preposterous side and
the ease with which he had been taken
at the very outset of his quest touched
his humOr. Then he sobered instantly
and concentrated his wits upon the i'm
mediate situation.
The Servian backed away. with
match upheld In one hand and the lev
eled revolver in the other, leaving Ar
mitage in the middle Of the kitchen.
II am going to light lamp. and II
you move l will kill you" admonished
the fellow. and Armitage heard his
feet scraping over the brick foor of the
kitchen as he backed toward a table
that stood against the wall near the
outer door.
Armitage stood perfectly still The
neighborhood and the house itself were
quiet The two men in the third story
room were probably engrossed with the
business at which Armitage had left
them. and his immediate affair was
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