The Port of Missing Men

nglishman and therefore doubly

ghtly, and her brother glanced over his shoulder toward th

the unkn

ng fellow, turning again to the table. "In America I s

ut why trouble yourself? He doesn't even look at us. We are of no i

theater-he even affects the same pictures in the same galleries! It's growing a trif

s eyes are nice blue ones, and they are very steady. His hair is"-she paused to reflect and tilted her head slightly, her eyes wandering for an instant to the subject of her comment-"light brown, I should call it. And he is bea

sped hands and sighed deeply to provoke a co

e particularity, and settled himself to the reading of a newspaper which he had drawn from the pocket of his blue s

or," the girl resumed.

him: you ought to be

I was saying, I saw him laughi

hasn't. I'm disappointed in you, Shirley. To think that my own siste

viciously, and h

profile would be splendid in a medallion. I believe from his nose he may be English

ly look like a Sicilian bandit. If I thought he was really pursuing you in this darkly mysterious way I should cert

diverting; and if you were a good brother you'd find out all about him, and we might even do stunts together-the three of us, with you as the watchful chaperon. You forget how I have worked for you, Dick. I took great chanc

p home and mother and his country to marry the usual beautiful American girl who travels about having

t every time we came within a mile of a penny princess. I haven't forgotten your disgraceful conduct in collecti

t on the horizon. We haven't seen him for a week or two. But he expects to visit Washington this sp

n of the world," declared Shirley wi

his wits-an

ned again toward the strange young ma

n. He's probably a traveling agent for a Vienna glass-factory, or a drummer for a cheap wine-house, or the ag

ent. But a commercial traveler hardly commands that fine repose, that dis

been places! Your instincts ought to serve you better, Shirley. It's well that w

t, apparently, interesting the young gentleman in the least. Then the unknown dropped his newspaper, and buttered a roll reflectively. His gaze swep

fingers interlocked, her chin resting idly upon them. "He's traveling in a

We can't decently linger in the

were permanent residents of Washington, where Hilton Claiborne, a former ambassador to two of the greatest European courts, was counsel for several of the embassies and a recognized authority in international law. He had been to Rom

ning at their brother's school and were enjoying a late déje?ner at the Monte Rosa. There existed between them a pleasant comradeship that was in no wise affected by divergent tastes and temperaments. Dick had just attained his captaincy, and was the youngest man of his rank in the ser

ancy, or whatever it is that is so greatly admired in young womanhood. She gave forth the impression of vitality and strength. She was beautifully fair, with a

dhood she had read the calendar of spring as it is written upon the landscape itself. Her fingers found by instinct the first arbutus; she knew where whit

Trojan wall. Gertrude must be tall and fair and ready with ballads in the winter twilight. Julia's reserve and discretion commend her to you; but she has a heart of laughter. Anne is to be found in the rose garden with clipping-shears and a basket. Hilda is a capable person; there is no ignoring her militant character; the battles of Saxon kings ring still in her blood. Marjorie has scribbled verses in secret, and Celia is the quietest auditor at the symphony. And you may have observed that there is no button on Elizabeth's foil; you do well not to clash wits with her. Do you say that the

table a short stout man espied them

only heard by the merest chance that you were here. Bu

ity with any particular city or state of his native land. He had been an attaché of the American embassy at London for many years. Administrations changed and ambassadors came and went, but Singleto

press himself upon them, as was his way; for he was sincerely social by

us man-a very dangerous man, but failing fast. Poor Austria! Count Ferdinand von Stroebel can have no successor-he's only a sort of holdover from the nineteenth century, and w

father was there before the Ecuador Claims Commission.

and some things he has done. He holds more secrets than any other man in Europe-and you may be quite sure that the

to have attracted him, placed it in his card-case, and walked toward the door. The eyes of Arthur Singleton lighte

acing the young Americans in his greetings. He never liked to lose an auditor; and he woul

e then shook hands, and the three men stood for a moment, detained, it seemed, by the old att

leton. "He knows our America as well as we

e bowed

wers that rule Great Britain. I'm really a fair sort of American-I have

ne now observed, was that of an outdoors man; she was familiar with it in sol

annoyed as he remembered, or thought he did, that Arm

the Claibornes than to Singleton. "But must we all be from somew

with which he suffered the babble of Arthur Singleton, whom some one had called an international bore. The young man's dignity was only an expression of self-respect; his appreciation of the exact proprieties re

Austrian sphinx is here-in this very h

Alps will soon be safe again. I am glad to have met you." He bowed to the Claibornes inc

rother reached their c

eld up the copy of the

cast aside at

" he declared, unfo

what,

iend without a countr

ng the bell, and ordered a copy of the same issue. When it was brought he opene

turned away to escape his noise, and after a glance threw down the paper in disgust. The article dealt in d

t!" exclaimed Shirle

to your hand. Probably a bank-clerk wh

at any rate. He repudia

her satisfied with your appearance, to put it mildly. I wonder if he had arranged with Singleto

ing an officer and a gentleman. But i

him first!" ejac

r. Armitage is. It would be am

t that a change was impending in the American State Department. Changes at Washington did not trouble S

Armitage seem

lker, and thoroughly w

Do you happen to know where

ton, with the emphasis so thrown as to imply that of course in any other branc

us to him-my siste

roduce people. Armitage is all right. He's always around everywhere. I've