The Port of Missing Men

s, yet hig

lying thus

ted o'er

lords and

Whitcom

was on the evening of a bright April day that he thus established himself; and after he had unpacked his belongings he stood long at the window and watched the lights leap out of the dusk over the city. He was in Washington because Shirley Claiborne lived there, and he knew that even if he wish

ife on the deck of the King Edward sobered him, and he turned away from the window impatiently. He had seen the sick second-cabin passenger leave the steamer at New York, but had taken no trouble either to watch or to avoid him. Very likely the man was under instructions, and had been told to follow the Claibornes home; and the thought of their identification with himself by hi

g, and he flashed on the

gloomy splendor and never saying a word. You nev

e hands of a red-bearded giant of forty, the

rings me here. They said they guessed you were in, so I just came up to see whether you w

cigar about in his mouth. "You're a peach, all right, and as offen

y; I want to sample the fl

You're afraid of the spring zephyrs on the Montana rang

d all that. I read an awful roast of you in an English paper. They took your election to th

winked pro

ble to be a senator these days, but they oughtn't to hold it up against a man that he's rich. If th

you want to invest it i

hand

's expensive. I've got to be elected again next winter-I'm only fi

. If the good of the country demands

d he was sober. I mention the fact, knowing that I'm jeopardizing my reputation for veracity, but it's the Lord's truth. Of course yo

me English! I've told you a doz

it;" and Sanderson's eyes regarded Armitage intently for a moment, as though

ngredients once-three dashes orange bitters; two dashes acid phosphate; half a jigger of whisky;

for his hat with

ry of State's push. Not many of the Montana boys get this far from home, and I want you for exhibition purposes. Say, John, when I saw Cinch Tight, Montana, written o

At ten o'clock Senator Sanderson was introducing Armitage right and left as one of his representative constituents. Armitage and he owned ad

chosen his position with care, near the door of the drawing-room, and Armitage shared for the moment the advantage that lay in the Austrian's point of view. Armitage had half expected that the Claibornes would be present at a function as comprehensive of the higher official world as this, and he intended asking Mrs. Sanderson if she knew them as soon as opportunity offered. The Austrian attaché proved tiresome, and Armitage was about to drop him, when suddenly he caught sight of Shirley Claibo

Jules Chauvenet; but the man's prompt appearance surprised Armitage. He ran over the names of the steamers by which Chauvenet might easily have sailed from either a German or a French

hé was speaking

d," said Franzel. The two ha

hed," returned Armita

ring himself, he repea

hanging t

, much younger than her stalwart husband,-a college graduate w

ided Armitage toward the Secretary's gallery on an upper floor. Their host was almost as famous as a connoisseur as for his achievements in diplomacy, and the gallery was a

rt gallery; it's the

urmured Mrs

e's my favorite Vibert,-I wo

inary affairs of life should not be mentioned here. A king's coronation would not be out of place,-in fact, there's a chair in the corner against that Gobelin that would serve the situation. The old g

t seen the Baron in years

w him,-in the

him-when I was a boy

man,-that his house, its appointments and service were unusual for a western ranchman. And she recalled, too, that she and h

ut, dividing attention between distinguished per

u to marry. I suppose it would be just as well for you to meet her n

hed Armitage. "The sooner the

stopped to speak to that bald and pink Justice of the Supre

venerable Justice, and Mrs. San

beautiful things in our

nd you, Mr.

Miss Claiborne," laughe

uced you yet"-began M

Oh, Monsieur Chauvenet, let me present Mr. Armitag

ieur Chauvenet. They regarded each other with the swift intentness of men who are used to the sharp exercise of their eyes; a

ntic is a little tumultuous at times in the spr

t extraordinary," declared Mrs.

r her," said Chauvenet, his white teet

ded Armitage; and the men bowed to Shirley and then to Mrs. Sanderson, an

Sanderson. "And this lovely r

poken below, entered hurriedly. He held a crumpled note, whose conten

om?" he asked of Armitage, fum

or, with several ladi

, was app

low tone. The Ambassador stopped, grew very white, and

lish, in a tone that could be hear

ror Johann Wilhelm, di

, and gave his a

d Jules Chauvenet. Shirley remembered afterward that as the attaché's words rang out in the room, Armitage started, clenched his hands, and caught his breath in a manner

rough the open windows the servants were heard crying l

long live the King!

age, as though mastering a phrase they were teaching him, raised his head and said, wi

d to Shirley

you on your own ground. I

father and mother

tain Cla

rt Myer from the crafts and assaults of the enem

said gravely. "I shall certainly

Sanderson launched upon the girl's praise

your head. Why didn't

born

me a chance; but I'll say now th

hdrawn at once as a mark of respect and sympathy for Baron von Marhof, and at midnight the ball-room held all of the company that remained. Armitage had not sought Shirley again. He found a room that had been set apart for smokers,

e, may I offer y

gold cigarette case, which he opened with a deliberate care that displayed its embellished side. The smooth golden surface gleamed in the light, the helmet in blue, and the white falcon flashed in Armitage'

at the moment regretting our distinguished host'

ands, removed a cigarette, snapped the case shut and thrust it

egan Chauvenet,

, striking a match, "I am indebted to you f

egarded each other; then Armitage raised it to the tip of

property, Mr. Armitage?" d

that possession is nine points of the law. You

aned against a chair with a return of his habitu

tlemen-so sm

rifle," laughed Armitage

the predatory habits of a

irs, such as pick

hauvenet twisted his mustache wi

ere's a business that requires a calcul

and went agai

" he ejacula

requires-I should say-courageous associates. Now in my affai

oly!" exclai

tossed his cigarette into the smoldering gra

l meet again

nerous nature!" responded Armita