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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1910-1-27, Page 66 THt'RMUAY, JANUARY 27, 1910 THE PORT OF MISSING MEN sly MEREDITH JVICHOLSON. &stem e1 "The Souse e1 a Tbsssatd Castilla" COPYRIGHT. 1.07. •Y THE 110111S-Mea•ILL COMPANY With the spirits of dead and missing royalties and statesmen for spectctora and in a mase of mediaeval intrigue and romance, the lova affair of Shirley Clai- borne and John Armitage was brought to its happy cone luaion— mediaeval, we say, and advised- ly, since, although the scenes of our talc are laid in up to date Europe and Virginia, it is nec- essary to hark back to the quaint talcs of. the old lime romancers for such stirring adventures as befell Shirley Claiborne of Vir- ginia and John Armitage of— where P Beautiful in the man- ner of southern maidens of high lineagc,,finc spirit and daring devotion was Shirley Claiborne, daughter of a fantods diplomat and sister of Captain Dick Clai- borne, lhd best rider in the ,American army. Boldly she be- lieved in her, lover, confident in her faith iri him even when all her world had turned against hint. And who was John Armi- tage, to whom so mach love was given and around whom so many great affairs revolved ? Read, riJ you shall learn from his s Ary and his deeds of knightly br cry that the spirit of chiv- alry •nd loyalty still abides in the p osaic, workaday, modern ,world. •ady at the call of duly to fight a ainst intrigue, chican- ery. fulsch od and crime. VC'(T1, Lt' IIE knowledg are alive .give. pleasure," grow grim. old Austria that you We un ll•� pre- micr. "7'hnok you!" Mug ed John Armitage. to whom ho ha spoken. "You have lost none of your old amiability. but fora renowned diplo- mat you are remarkably frup k. When I called on yeti 1n Parts a year ago I was able to render you—I believe you admitted it—n slight service." Count Ferdinand von Stroebel bowed slightly, but dIJ not take his eyes from tbo yunng man who sat opposite him In his rooms at the Hotel biotite Rosa in Geneva. On the table between them stood.nu open dispatch box, and about It lay. a number of packets of papers which the old gentleman, with char- acteristic caution. had removed to his own side of the taldellefore admitting his caller. Ile was a burly old mat, with massive shoulders and a great bend lblckly covered with Iron gray bale ile trusted no one, and this accounted for his presence in Geneva In March of the year 1903, whither he had gone to receive the report of the secret agents wheel he hall lately dispatched to Paris on an errand of peculiar deli• ceey. The ngents ,hail failed in their mission, sin.) Vuu • Streebel was not toternut'of failure. It was not often that the light In the old Yu:tn'e ryes was ss gentle as now. 11. had Fent his secret agents away Intl was to return- to Vienna on ole. follow ing'day. 'Ihe young uuw whom he now entcrta11tel In his apartments received his whole attention. Ile pick- ed up the card which lay on the table and scrutinized It critically, while his eyec lighted with sudden humor. The card was a getitieman'a carte d.• rlsltr and bore the name Juan Arml- tage. "1 believe this Is the same alias you were using when 1 saw yeti 1n I'arl.s. Where did you get It?" demanded the minister. "I rather liked the Bowel of ft so 1 bad ties cards Made." replied the young man. "Itestdert, it's English, and 1 pass readily for an Englisbman. 1 have quite got used 1.1 It" "Which Is not particularly creditable. but It's probably Just as well so."' "1 hope you are welt." sold Armitage iso kindly. "1 am trot. 1 am anything but well. I am nn old 11.an, and 1 have had no rest fur twenty years" 1 IIIMINIMinsensennesomennoinemannsism p.lpers you gave nor in Parts are ter gerles and you are waltlog"— "Yes. Assuming that what sboutd I too welting for?" "If you aro waiting for events—for 1.1 ants—tf you expect something to happen!". Armitage Nutted at tbe old gentle roan's earnest wanner. asked 1f be might smote and ligibtel a cigarette. "Waiting diesel suit one. 1 tbought you understood --that 1 was not born for the waiting Ilse You see, 1 have .rrotg haods,'aud my wits are—let us a.t t —average:" Von titruebel clasped his own bands together more firmly and bent toward Armitage searchingly. • "Is It true"—he turned again ant glanced _ about—"is it positively tfttt that the Archduke Karl L dead?" "Yes; quite true. 'Tett is absolutely no doubt of It." said Armitage, meet fag the old man's eyes at.•adlly. "I'he report that he Is still living somewhere In North .tmcrlca Is per sistent We bear it freeeeutly In Vi- enna. I hese beard It since you told me that story and gave we thoe!e pa.,., peril In Paris last year." _ - "1 ate aware of that." replied John Armitage, -but I told you the truth. ik• died in a Canadian lumber camp We were 1n the north hunting. You may recall that he was fond of that sort of thing." "yes; I remember. 'l'ltere was noth In elite he- diol so weft," growled Yoh Struct.cl. "AVM the p:Irket I gate you"—, The old man nodded. "That packet contained , the /larch dtlke Karl's sworn aretentm•nt of bi, wife. It is of •great lughortauee. 1n dee,) to Francis. his we.rthie-s Mott, or s141hi0 d sou, w11e way' present Islas self for con lion nue of these days' "Not wit. 1' 1I'l : ppe;truty; lu al• parry of 'the world, utter quite dead. never -quite. alive. nisi 'hl. son, Fred- erick AUGnstus, lurking with him In the shadows. Who know a wbethet they are dead?" ."I am the only person on earth In 11 posithin to make that clear," said Jelin Armitage. "Filen you should give me.the docu- ments." "ltlo l prefer to .kem them. t as- sure you that I have sworn proof of the death of the Archduke Karl'and of his son. Frederick Augustus. Those papers are In a box In the Bronx Loan d Trust company in New York ''I should have them! I must bare thein thundered the old man. "ln dpe season, but not just now. In fact, have rcgrett(41 parting with that docuutent i gave you in Paris. It M safer In ' merlca than In Vienna. if you please, should like to have it strain, sir." The palsy In the id man's bands bad Increased, and he strove to control his agitation, but fear \thnd never been reckoned among his u\-eak-uesaes, and he turned stormily upou'Armitage. "That packet Is lest, 1 it'll you!" lie blurted, as though it were sogiething that he had frequently exphalaed be- fore. "It was stolen from under my very nose ouly a month soil That's what I'm here for. My agents are tit- er the thief, and I came to Geneva to meet them, to and out why they have not caught him. pyo you Imagine that I travel for pleasure at my age, lir. John Armitage?" "The packet has been stolen?" ob- served Armltage calmly. "Whom, do you suspect of taking It?' The old man leaned "upon the table beavity, "Tbat amiable Francis"— "The suggestion 1s not dismaying. Francis would not know an opportuni- ty if It offered." "Bnt his mother—she is the devil!" blurted the old man. "Prey drop that," said Armitage in a tone that canoed the old man to look et him with a new scrutiny. "I want the paper back for the very reason that It cootatns that a'rfnf1ndktment of bar. I have been uncomfortable ever since I gave it to you, and I came to ask you for it that I might keep it safe in my own hands. But the document is Foci Alm 1 to understand that Francis has it?" "Not yet Bat itambapd bas 1t, and Rimbaud and Francis are as thick as thieves.'• "I don't know Itamband. The name to unfamiliar." "Ile has a dozen names—one for ev- ery capital. Ile even operated In Wash - bitten, I have beard. Ile's a blackmail- wbo aims high—a broker In secrets, scandal peddler. 1le's a bad lot, I tell you. I've had my best men after him, and they've Just been here to report another failure. If you have nothing better to do"— began the old man. Yea, that peeket mut be recover- ed." answered Armitage. "It your agent, have failed at the job It may be worth my while to look for It" IIIc quiet acceptance of the situation h Stated the minister. "Yon entertain me, Jobe Armitage. You speak of that packet to tbougb 11 were a pound of tea. Freels and tub friends, Wlnkelried std RamMtud, are sot chasers of Oreille, I would have yen know. If the areldoke and\•hie eau are dead. then a few more deaths or "It Is the penalty of grentnerts. ie 1 a Austria's gosh! fortune that you s devoted yourself In the affairs of . ,e ernmeet. 1 1141)0 read—ally tsetse 1'• 1 the Contemporary Review --ate so s n.• Die tribute to your sagn.11V •et 4an ---Ming the Mn ery+anffntr. Your ware EI was masterly. f followed It '1• h t' t begpni i . 'w •'h deepest In'e•I•.••.• /I he nl.l g•'ntlMnan hoc .+I b,.lt i:.. ennlelnn'.Ie for this thoncht. were es- away. "away. as the vngue stare 111 1,i- sc shrewd tees Indlentnrl. e "Rut yon nee herr for tf' •• MTM/1 1.1 G,•ne('n at this se frothing else." "What brings you here"' note' Old man, with .mdden energy. •'!: 4y. and Francis oath" rule the empire. Kart was a genius: therefore he could sot be klug. lie throw away about 600 years of wort that had been done for blot by other people, and be ca- joled you tato sharing bis exile. You threw away your life for film. Bab! But you stem une enough!" The pe minister concluded with boa rouge bar, sod Armitage Iaughe4 Wh a " R' i the devil don't you go to Vi- enna and set yourself up lite a gentle - mane' demanded the premier. ' "Like a gentleman?" repeated Armi- tage. "It is too late. I should die In Vienna la a week. Moreorjtr, I. am dead, and It is well when one bas at- tained that beatific advantage to stay "Francis is a troublesome black- guard." declared the old man. "I wish to God he would form the dying habit, so that I might have a few years 1n peace, but be is forever turning up In some mischief. And what can you do about 1t? ('an we kick film out of the army without a scandal? Deal you suppose be could go to Budapest to morrow and make things luteresting for w 1f be pleased?, He's as full of treason as be can stick I tell you." Armitage nodded and smiled. "1 dare say," he said in Englisb, asd wises theoldstatesman glared at him be said in German. "No doubt yon are speaking the truth." "Of course 1 speak the truth, but this Is a nutter for action and not for dtscusrion. That packet was stolen by intentlub and not by chance, John Ar- mitage!" There was a slight immaterial sound In the hall, and the old prime minister slipped from German to French wltl- eut changiug coantenaone as he con- tinuo': "We hese enough troubles In Austria without encouraging treason. If Ram - baud and his chief. Wlnkelrled, could make a king of Prances, the brokerage —the commission—would be something haudseine, and \Vlnkelrled and Rain - baud are clever men." '1 know of \Vinkelrled. The -conti- nental press has given much space to hien of late, but Itambaud Is a nen- tame." "ile is Is a skilled hand. IIe is the mast daring scoundrel In Europe." Yount von Stroebel poured a glass of brandy from a silver Husk and sipped It slowly. "I will show you the gentleman's pleasant countenance," said the minis- ter, and he threw open a leather port - fele, and drew from it a small photo gr',' !,, which he extenped to Armitage, who glal:ce.l at 1t careleatily and then with sudden Interests li "Rimbaud!". he exclaimed. - "That's his name In Vienna. In Paris he is something else. I will fur- nish you a list of his nnms de guerre" "Thank you. I should like all the' information you care to give mc. But It may amuse you to know that I Mire seen the gentleman before." "That is possible," remarked the old man, who never evinced surprise In any circumstances. "I expect to see him here within a few days." Coont von Stroebel held up his emp- ty glass and studied ft attentively "Bantbatedl" he exclaimed. whlie he waited for Armitage to ex- plain why he expected to see Ram - band In Geneva. "Ile Is Interested 1n a certain young woman. She reached hen yesterday, and Rimbaud, fleas Chauvenet, Is quite likely to *rive within a day or "Jules Cbauvenet is, the correct nnme. I must lafores my men," said the minister.' "You wish to arrest hint?" "Yon ought to know me better than that Nlr. John Armitage! Of course 1 shall not arrest ham. But I must get that packet I can't have 1t peddled all over Europe, and I can't advertise my bneiuMts by having him arrested here. If I could catch him once In Vienna i should know what to do with him. ile and \\'inkelried got bold of our plans in that Bulgarian affair last year and checkmated me. He carries his wares to the best buyers—Berlin nnd,St Petersburg. So there's a aro- man, e-man, is there?' I've found that there usually Isi" "There's a very charming young American girl, to be more exact" The old msu growled and eyed Arml- 1:t:re sharply, while Armitage studied the photograph. "1 hope you are not melltnting r preposterous marriage. Go back a here ynn belong, make a proper marriage nml wail"— "Evenls!" And John Armitage laugh- ed. "i tell you, sir, that walting Is not my forte. Thai's What I like about :Unerlen. They're up and at It over tl„•re, 'rlk man who walla 1s bit." 'They're a lot of swine!" rumbled Von Stroebel's heavy turas. "1 etIll owe nrkgiance to the ltebom '•+trig crown, so.don't tinnglne you/ are .t11ng me. But the swine are indna• I111r nn.I enereetic. Who know. but .t John ArniMge might benne fa' •4 among them<In pnlltles, to .4nt)•' Pitt for the deplorable ac'cl- THE SIGNAL • (=ODRL'ICH . tri, JTAR1U dent et teMgn both he sight be - cools president of the United States. As It b. there are thoeaaods of other otlDcas worth getag—why aotr [WUyounottisheatool Zoe are yoang and fairly cover." Armitage laughed at the Wahine* et the count's praise. "Thank you. with ail my heart" "Go back whore you bsloog sad yea will bars no regrets. Something may bappeu--wow coo tail) Sweats -gents if a mss will watch and watt and study events. Bar—be gulped down more of the brandy—"wbers and bow do you live?" " Whet's? I own a catUe ranch to Montana, and since the archduke's death I have lived there. Ile. carried about £60,000 to America with him. Ile took care that 1 should get what was left when be died. and I am al- most afraid to tell you that 1 have actu- ally augmented my Inheritance. Just before I left 1 bougbt a place In Vir- ginia to be near Washington when 1 got tired o; the ranch." "Washington!" snorted the wont "In due course It will be the stone center of the World." "You read the wroom American news - Papers" laugbed Armitage. They were silent for a moment, In wbkb each was busy with his own thoughts. Then the count 'remarked In as amiable a tone as be ever used: "Your French L flat rate. I)o you speak English as well?" "As reedlly as German, I think. You may recall that 1 bad an English tutor, and maybe 1 did not tell you in that Interview at Paris that I bad spent a year at Iiarvard.unlversity." "What the devil did you do -that for?" growled Von Stroebel. "From cbrioslty or ambition, as you like. I was in Cambridge at the law -*tense ?or a year -afore ibe archduke Bled. That was three years ago. 1 am twenty-eight, as yes May remember. I am detaining you; 1 have no wish to rake over the past, but 1. elm sorry—I um very sorry—wet can't mei•t un some common ground." "I ask you to abandon this demex'rat- ic s eulsease and e00le beck and make a elan of yourself. You might go far - very far—but this ,lethocracy, has holt of you Eke, disease." - "tVliut you ask is impossible. It 14 Just as impossible now as It was when we discussed It 1u d'aris Iasi year. '1'o sit down In Vienna and learn 1 -'t.. keep that leaning tower of 0n empire Iron) tumbling down like a stack of bricks—It does not apical to one.". "Don't talk to me like that. It 1s not amusing." "No: 1t Is not funny. To see men like you fetching and carrying for a dub king. who would drop through the gallows or go to planting turnips with- out your brains—it does not appeal to my sense of humor or tq my imagine tion. If I were going 10. furnish the brains for an empire I should ride in the state-earrlege myself --mid not lee merely the driver ou the box. who keeps the middle of the road .and kooks out for sharp comers. Isere Is a plan ready to toy hand. Let me find that lost document appear in Vienna and announce myself 1:'rederlcl: Augustus, the son of the Archduke Karl! I knew both men Intimately. You may remem- ber that Frederick and I were lora in the same month. I. too, am Frederick Augustus! We passed commonly In America u brothers. Many of the per- sonal effects of Karl and Augustus arc In my keeping—by the archduke's own wish. You have spent your life study - Ing human nature, and you know as well as 1 do that half the world would believe my story if i said 1 was the emperor's nephew. In the uneasy and unstable condition of your abetted em- pire 1 should 1* balled as a diversion, and then --events, events!" Count von Stroebel listened with nor rowing eyes, and his lips moved In an effort to find words with which to break in upon this Impious declara- tion. When Armitage ceased speaking, the old mao sank back and glared at "Karl did bis work well. You are quite mad. Yon will do well to go back to America before the police discover You." • Armitage rose, and his manner changed abruptly. "I do not mean to trouble or annoy you. Please pardon me! Let as be Mends if we can be nothing more." "It la too late. The chasm Is too deep. I have given my life—my whole Ilfe, as jou have said—to one service, to up- hold one idea. You hare spoken of that Work with contempt History, I be- lieve, will reckon it Justly." "Your place is secure. No one can gainsay that." broke in Armitage. "If yon would do something for me— tor me—do something for Austria. do (something for my country and yours: .'ou have wpb(. 1 dare say you have • vourage. 1 don't care what that serv- ice tnny be. i don't care where or, bow you perform ft I am not so'near gone as jou may think. 1 know well enough that they are walting for me to die. But 1 am in no hurry to af- ford my enefntes thnt pleehnre. But atop thin babble of yours about de- mocracy. ib sothething for Austria— for the empire that I have held here under my hand these difficult years— then take your name again, and yon will find that.kings can be as Just and wise no mobs." "For the empire—somethingor the emptier murmured the young man, wondering. Count Ferdinand von Stroebel rose:. "You will accept the commission. 1 am quite sure you will accept I Metenn an early train, and 1, shall not see you egaln." As he took Armltage's hand he scl/ntlnised him once more with particular care, There was a lin- gering raress. In btu• touch as he de- tained the young man fee an (natant Then he sighed heavily. "Good night! (irwwlby'." be said ad raptly, and waved his e♦Iler toward the door n i.. i:,f'n'Y.S.•YuMaw �.wJ1k•'wif AFTER -� SUFFERING YEARS Cured by Lydia E. Pink- ham'sVegetableCompound Fox Creek, N.B.—" I have always had pains in the loins and s weak- ness there, and often after m meals m y food would distress me and cause sore- ness. Lydia E. t'iukham's Vegeta- ble Compound has done me much good. Ism strong- er. digestion is bet- ter, and I can walk with ambition. 1 have encouraged many mothers of families to take it, as it is the best rem- edy in the world. You can publish this in the pareri." — Mrs. WILLIAM BAr'RQL-r, 1 -ox Creek, N.B., Canada. The above is .only one of the thou- sands of grateful letters which are constantly behtt/g received .by the !Ink/ism-Medicine Company of Lynn, Maas., which prove beyond a doubt that Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com- pound. made from roots and herbs, actually does cure these obstinate dia. eases of women after all other means have failed. arid that every such suf- fering woman owes it to herself jn at least give Lydia p;.1 inkham's Vegeta. his' Compound a trial before submit- ting to an operation, or giving up hope of recovery. Mrs. Pinkliarn. of Lynn. Masa.. invite's all sick wonien•to %'rite her for advice. She has guided thousands to health and her advice ix free. Till: CI..e1IOINI5 OP WASHINGTON. ilTF. girl with the whits JJ pinmedl hat titarted :4111 j dustiest slightly, end her brother glaucecl over his shoulder toward the res- taurant door to see what lad a tractel her attention. >. "'Tis he, the unknown, Dick. "I must say I like his persistence:" exclaimed the young fellow, turning again to the table. "In America I should eau- bim opt and punch his head, but over here"— "Over here .you have better man- ners," replied the girl, laughing. "But why trouble yourself? Ile doesn't even look at us. We are of no impor- tance to him whatever. We probably speak a different language." "But he travels by the same trains, be stops at the same Inns, he sits near us *1 the theater—be even affects the same pictures in the same galleries! It's growing' n trifle monotonous It's really insufferable. I think I shall hare to try my stick on him." "You flatter yourself, Richard," mock- ed the girl. "lie's fully your height and a trine broader across the shoul- ders. The lines about his month are almost—yes. I should say, quite—as Srm as yours, though he is a younger man. Iib eyes are nice blue ones, and they are very steady. Ills hair Is"—she paused to reflect and tilted ber bead slightly. ber eyes wandering for an in- stant to the subject of her comment— "light brown, 1 should call it. And be is beardless, as all self respecting men should be." She rested her cheek against ler lightly clasped hind: and sighed deep- • ""PMlwk ieetkItOtePii, D.de Iy to provoke a continuation of her br'other's growling disdain. The young gen man to whom she had referred hadrsseated himself at a table not tar distant given an order with grime particularity and settled himself to the reading of a newspaper which be had drawn from the pocket of his bice serge coatIle was at once absorbed, and the presence of the Clal- bornes gala him apparently not the Slightest concern. Ile has a sense of humor," the girl resumed. "I raw him yeuterdtty"— You're always seeing hint Tap Dight to be ashamed of yourself." "Don't interrupt me, pleats, Aa I wits saying, I saw hint langhing over thetlegende !latter." of that's ,bo sign he has a scot* of humor. It rather protea that he basal. I'm disappointed In you, Shirley. To think that oily own sister ihonld use able to tell the color of a wandering blackgltard'g eyes'." II* struck a that' b Seemly, and bb slater laughed. (keenest en NINE Cross=cut Saws Racer, Leader, Buffald` $iii,;• Lance -tooth, Premier, and — Challance are some of our x¢. well-known Saws that have proved satisfactory. AXES Black Diamond, Copper King and Beaver. Three good sellers that are admired for their shape. Halters, Tie Lines, Horse Blankets and Sleigh Bells, at satisfactory prices. Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. lloweH Hardware Cr., LIMITED. NADRUCO REMEDIES \Ve are.-egents for Ibrsr splendid itemedie., and can recouuuend theca ns being of the bighead standard ow tor, rituality sold aptenr.nee. 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