The Port of Missing Men | Page 9

crumbling thrones and falling dynasties.
"We met him in Vienna," said Shirley Claiborne, "when father was
there before the Ecuador Claims Commission. He struck me as being a
delightful old grizzly bear."
"He will have his place in history; he is a statesman of the old blood
and iron school; he is the peer of Bismarck, and some things he has
done. He holds more secrets than any other man in Europe--and you
may be quite sure that they will die with him. He will leave no memoirs
to be poked over by his enemies--no post-mortem confidences from

him!"
The reader of the _Neue Freie Presse_, preparing to leave his table, tore
from the newspaper an article that seemed to have attracted him, placed
it in his card-case, and walked toward the door. The eyes of Arthur
Singleton lighted in recognition, and the attaché, muttering an apology
to the Claibornes, addressed the young gentleman cordially.
"Why, Armitage, of all men!" and he rose, still facing the Claibornes,
with an air of embracing the young Americans in his greetings. He
never liked to lose an auditor; and he would, in no circumstances, miss
a chance to display the wide circumference of his acquaintance.
"Shirley--Miss Claiborne--allow me to present Mr. Armitage." The
young army officer and Armitage then shook hands, and the three men
stood for a moment, detained, it seemed, by the old attaché, who had no
engagement for the next hour or two and resented the idea of being left
alone.
"One always meets Armitage!" declared Singleton. "He knows our
America as well as we do--and very well indeed--for an Englishman."
Armitage bowed gravely.
"You make it necessary again for me to disavow any allegiance to the
powers that rule Great Britain. I'm really a fair sort of American--I have
sometimes told New York people all about--Colorado--Montana--New
Mexico!"
His voice and manner were those of a gentleman. His color, as Shirley
Claiborne now observed, was that of an outdoors man; she was familiar
with it in soldiers and sailors, and knew that it testified to a vigorous
and wholesome life.
"Of course you're not English!" exclaimed Singleton, annoyed as he
remembered, or thought he did, that Armitage had on some other
occasion made the same protest.

"I'm really getting sensitive about it," said Armitage, more to the
Claibornes than to Singleton. "But must we all be from somewhere? Is
it so melancholy a plight to be a man without a country?"
The mockery in his tone was belied by the good humor in his face; his
eyes caught Shirley's passingly, and she smiled at him--it seemed a
natural, a perfectly inevitable thing to do. She liked the kind tolerance
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
resulting from this casual introduction to herself and her brother was
perfect. He was already withdrawing. A waiter had followed him with
his discarded newspaper--and Armitage took it and idly dropped it on a
chair.
"Have you heard the news, Armitage? The Austrian sphinx is here--in
this very house!" whispered Singleton impressively.
"Yes; to be sure, Count von Stroebel is here, but he will probably not
remain long. The Alps will soon be safe again. I am glad to have met
you." He bowed to the Claibornes inclusively, nodded in response to
Singleton's promise to look him up later, and left them.
When Shirley and her brother reached their common sitting-room Dick
Claiborne laughingly held up the copy of the Neue Freie Presse which
Armitage had cast aside at their table.
"Now we shall know!" he declared, unfolding the newspaper.
"Know what, Dick?"
"At least what our friend without a country is so interested in."
He opened the paper, from which half a column had been torn, noted
the date, rang the bell, and ordered a copy of the same issue. When it
was brought he opened it, found the place, laughed loudly, and passed
the sheet over to his sister.

"Oh, Shirley, Shirley! This is almost too much!" he cried, watching her
as her eyes swept the article. She turned away to escape his noise, and
after a glance threw down the paper in disgust. The article dealt in
detail with Austro-Hungarian finances, and fairly bristled with figures
and sage conclusions based upon them.
"Isn't that the worst!" exclaimed Shirley, smiling ruefully.
"He's certainly a romantic figure ready to your hand. Probably a
bank-clerk who makes European finance his recreation."
"He isn't an Englishman, at any rate. He repudiated the idea with
scorn."
"Well, your Mr. Armitage didn't seem so awfully excited at meeting
Singleton; but he seemed rather satisfied with your appearance, to put it
mildly. I wonder if