"
Her direct manner of speech, her decisive tone, in which she placed the
matter of his identity on a purely practical and unsentimental plane,
gave him a new impression of her character.
"But Captain Claiborne--"
He ceased suddenly and she anticipated the question at which he had
faltered, and answered, a little icily:
"I do not consider it any of my business to meddle in your affairs with
my brother. He undoubtedly believes you are the impostor who palmed
himself off at Bar Harbor as the Baron von Kissel. He was told so--"
"By Monsieur Chauvenet."
"So he said."
"And of course he is a capital witness. There is no doubt of Chauvenet's
entire credibility," declared Armitage, a little airily.
"I should say not," said Shirley unresponsively. "I am quite as sure that
he was not the false baron as I am that you were not."
Armitage laughed.
"That is a little pointed."
"It was meant to be," said Shirley sternly. "It is"--she weighed the
word--"ridiculous that both of you should be here."
"Thank you, for my half! I didn't know he was here! But I am not exactly
_here_--I have a much, safer place,"--he swept the blue-hilled horizon
with his hand.
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