They had both gone hurriedly to Washington, where they held a long
conference with the Secretary of State. Then the state department called
the war department by telephone, and quickly down the line to the
commanding officer at Fort Myer went a special assignment for Captain
Claiborne to report to the Secretary of State. A great deal of perfectly
sound red tape was reduced to minute particles in these manipulations;
but Baron von Marhof's business was urgent; it was also of a private
and wholly confidential character. Therefore, he returned to his cottage
at Storm Springs, and the Washington papers stated that he was ill and
had gone back to Virginia to take the waters.
The Claiborne house was the pleasantest place in Storm Valley, and the
library a comfortable place for a conference. Dick Claiborne caught the
gravity of the older men as they unfolded to him the task for which
they had asked his services. The Baron stated the case in these words:
"You know and have talked with this man Armitage; you saw the device on
the cigarette case; and asked an explanation, which he refused; and you
know also Chauvenet, whom we suspect of complicity with the conspirators
at home.
Pages:
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248