The Port of Missing Men

hearted I take t

ee, the wor

h before me leadin

t Wh

d aimlessly about the lighted thoroughfares of the capital with conscious pleasure in the movement and color of life. He let his eyes follow the Washington Monument'

iously lifted his hat, though the Ambassador was deep in thought and did not see him. Armitage struck the pavement smartly with his stick as he walked slowly on, pondering; but he was conscious a moment later that

was warm, to give an impression of ease, and when he had reached the somber facade of the Treasury Building he paused and studied it in the glare of the electric lights, as though he were a chance traveler taking a preliminary view of the sights of the capital. A man still lingered behind him, drawing nearer now, at a moment when they had the sidewalk comparatively free to themselves. The fellow was short, but of soldierly erectness, and ev

stopped suddenly and spoke to the man in the casual ton

en across the street; if you continue to fol

don

ng me; and the

watching

won't do! If

You do me a

the trouble to follow me. Now I'm going to finish my walk, and I beg you to keep out of my

face came into the full light of the street

aused him to change his mind. Two policemen were walking slowly toward

had so promptly put a spy as well as the Servian assassin on his tra

de and he looked up to find the same man he had accosted at the Treasury Building lifting his hat,-an American soldier

I am not a spy. But it is wond

discovery, with an alert plea

n thrust his hand into his trousers pocket. "I should hate awfu

ightly the railing that protected the glass window of the book shop. As Armitage turned away impati

remember me, and the great forest, where

erce insistence, his eyes blazing

y. He was silently absorbed for a full minute, in which the man who had followed him waited. Taking his cue from Armitage

de range of time and place as he stood there. Then he spoke very

ew American and wait in

hand went

of t

with a gesture. "My

"I advise you to r

way, and Armitage

nd he returned to the New American, got his key from the office, nod

door, and then, when the two stood face to face in hi

want?" he dem

with a kind of stupefied wonder. Then there flashed into the fellow's bronzed face something of dignity and resentment. He stood perfe

e replied humbly, speaking slowly

atisfied," said Armitage.

Oscar B

tinized the man again with

ou have followed me in the streets to make

been looking for you since, and saw you leave your horse

a living, Mr. Breu

s ago and came to Washington to see where they make the government-yes? I

behind him when he gave the order to charge. Then a curious thing happened. It may have been the contact of eye with eye that awoke question and response between them; it may

and repeated, ve

ars sprang into his eyes. Armitage

e door, opened it, and peered into the hall, locke

untry, did you, and have borne

n the Phili

es, emolume

the surgeon could not f

e sorry and gave me a ce

id the man, so succinc

age l

, Oscar; honor me b

xtended, but would not light it. He held it rather

,-Mr.-Armitage; b

r is dead

od man," sai

I am dead, Oscar; do you grasp the idea? You were a good friend when we we

feet and stood at at

ghed and sla

rgeant Oscar! Sit down.

are not without thei

scar nodded his head solemnly

solutely. You have no confi

soldier? I have no friends; they are u

t or struck with a knife, and if you are willing to obey my orders for a few weeks we may be able to do some business. First, rememb

ded his com

or Oscar to be dumb. I u

ealth, his simple character was so transparently reflected in

e equally discreet-able to be deaf when troublesome

remember-"

d a trunk and took out an envelope from which he drew several papers and a small map, which he un

you could fi

hard over it fo

y recorded deed which conveyed to himself the title to two thousand acres of land; also a curiously complicated abstract of title showing the successive transfers of ownership from colonial days down through the years of Virginia's splendor to the dread time when battle

a far

wn, Lamar, studying the country, keeping your mouth shut, and seeing what the improvements on the ground amount to. There's some sort of a bungalow there, built

s,

bedding should be provided. I want you to take full charge of this matter and get to work as quickly as possib

satisfied with th

ay reach you promptly. If you get an unsigned message advising you of-let me consider-a shipment of steers, you may expect me any hour. On the other hand, you may not se

nodded

appear in this hotel. If you shou

been, here

tage, smiling. "You r

st, to serve

peaks very bad German, you will do well to keep out of his way,-unless you find a good place

country," assented Oscar,

I am going to give you money enough to

, counted out twenty new one-hundred-do

served Oscar, counting

on-perhaps eggs; a cow may be necessary,-who can tell without trying it? Don't write me a

m carelessly. Then John Armitage bought an armful of magazines and newspapers a