It was now the second day after Von Stroebel's departure, and Armitage began to feel uneasy.
He stood with Shirley quite near the shop door, watching for Captain Claiborne to come back with the carriage.
"But America--isn't America the most marvelous product of romance in the world,--its discovery,--the successive conflicts that led up to the realization of democracy?
Consider the worthless idlers of the Middle Ages going about banging one another's armor with battle-axes.

Let us have peace, said the tired warrior." "He could afford to say it; he was the victor," said Shirley.
"Ah! there is Captain Claiborne.

I am indebted to you, Miss Claiborne, for many pleasant suggestions." The carriage was at the door, and Dick Claiborne came up to them at once and bowed to Armitage.
"There is great news: Count Ferdinand von Stroebel was murdered in his railway carriage between here and Vienna; they found him dead at Innsbruck this morning." "Is it possible! Are you quite sure he was murdered ?" It was Armitage who asked the question.

He spoke in a tone quite matter-of-fact and colorless, so that Shirley looked at him in surprise; but she saw that he was very grave; and then instantly some sudden feeling flashed in his eyes.
"There is no doubt of it.

It was an atrocious crime; the count was an old man and feeble when we saw him the other day.