find out what they were doing, they crept
up on me and grabbed my horse and put that sack over my head. They had
mistaken me for you; and they brought me here, into your house, and
pulled the sack off and were decidedly disagreeable at finding they had
made a mistake. One of them had gone in to ransack your effects and when
they pulled off the bag and disclosed the wrong hare, he dropped his loot
on the floor; and then I told them to go to the devil, and I hope they've
done it! When you came in I was picking up your traps, and I submit that
the sword is handsome enough to challenge anybody's eye. And there's all
there is of the story, and I don't care a damn whether you believe it or
not."

Their eyes were fixed upon each other in a gaze of anger and resentment.
Suddenly, Armitage's tense figure relaxed; the fierce light in his eyes
gave way to a gleam of humor and he laughed long and loud.

"Your face--your face, Claiborne; it's funny. It's too funny for any use.
When your teeth show it's something ghastly. For God's sake go in there
and wash your face!"

He made a light in his own room and plied Claiborne with towels, while he
continued to break forth occasionally in fresh bursts of laughter. When
they went into the hall both men were grave.

"Claiborne--"

Armitage put out his hand and Claiborne took it in a vigorous clasp.

"You don't know who I am or what I am; and I haven't got time to tell
you now. It's a long story; and I have much to do, but I swear to you,
Claiborne, that my hands are clean; that the game I am playing is no
affair of my own, but a big thing that I have pledged myself to carry
through. I want you to ride down there in the valley and keep Marhof
quiet for a few hours; tell him I know more of what's going on in
Vienna than he does, and that if he will only sit in a rocking-chair
and tell you fairy stories till morning, we can all be happy. Is it a
bargain--or--must I still hang your head down the well till I get
through?"

"Marhof may go to the devil! He's a lot more mysterious than even you,
Armitage. These fellows that brought me up here to kill me in the belief
that I was you can not be friends of Marhof's cause."

"They are not; I assure you they are not! They are blackguards of the
blackest dye."

"I believe you, Armitage."

"Thank you. Now your horse is at the door--run along like a good fellow."

Armitage dived into his room, caught up a cartridge belt and reappeared
bucklin