to-night to the Secretary 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 on the register down there
it increased my circulation seven beats! You're all right, and I guess
you're about as good an American as they make--anywhere--John Armitage!"

The function for which the senator from Montana provided an invitation
for Armitage was a large affair in honor of several new ambassadors. At
ten o'clock Senator Sanderson was introducing Armitage right and left
as one of his representative constituents. Armitage and he owned
adjoining ranches in Montana, and Sanderson called upon his neighbor to
stand up boldly for their state before the minions of effete monarchies.

Mrs. Sanderson had asked Armitage to return to her for a little Montana
talk, as she put it, after the first rush of their entrance was over, and
as he waited in the drawing-room for an opportunity of speaking to her,
he chatted with Franzel, an attaché of the Austrian embassy, to whom
Sanderson had introduced him. Franzel was a gloomy young man with a
monocle, and he was waiting for a particular girl, who happened to be the
daughter of the Spanish Ambassador. And, this being his object, he had
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 Claiborne
at the far end of the broad hall. Her head was turned partly toward him;
he saw her for an instant through the throng; then his eyes fell upon
Chauvenet at her side, talking with liveliest animation. He was not more