“He is an agreeable man and remarkably well posted in European politics,” said Judge Claiborne.  “I talked with him a number of times on the King Edward and must say that I liked him.”

“Chauvenet evidently knows him; there was undoubtedly something back of that little trick at my supper party at the Army and Navy,” said Dick.

“It might be explained—­” began the Baron; then he paused and looked from father to son.  “Pardon me, but they both manifest some interest in Miss Claiborne.”

“We met them abroad,” said Dick; “and they both turned up again in Washington.”

“One of them is here, or has been here in the valley—­why not the other?” asked Judge Claiborne.

“But, of course, Shirley knows nothing of Armitage’s whereabouts,” Dick protested.

“Certainly not,” declared his father.

“How did you make Armitage’s acquaintance?” asked the Ambassador.  “Some one must have been responsible for introducing him—­if you can remember.”

Dick laughed.

“It was in the Monte Rosa, at Geneva.  Shirley and I had been chaffing each other about the persistence with which Armitage seemed to follow us.  He was taking dejeuner at the same hour, and he passed us going out.  Old Arthur Singleton—­the ubiquitous—­was talking to us, and he nailed Armitage with his customary zeal and introduced him to us in quite the usual American fashion.  Later I asked Singleton who he was and he knew nothing about him.  Then Armitage turned up on the steamer, where he made himself most agreeable.  Next, Senator Sanderson vouched for him as one of his Montana constituents.  You know the rest of the story.  I swallowed him whole; he called at our house on several occasions, and came to the post, and I asked him to my supper for the Spanish attache.”

“And now, Dick, we want you to find him and get him into a room with ourselves, where we can ask him some questions,” declared Judge Claiborne.

They discussed the matter in detail.  It was agreed that Dick should remain at the Springs for a few days to watch Chauvenet; then, if he got no clue to Armitage’s whereabouts, he was to go to Montana, to see if anything could be learned there.

“We must find him—­there must be no mistake about it,” said the Ambassador to Judge Claiborne, when they were alone.  “They are almost panic-stricken in Vienna.  What with the match burning close to the powder in Hungary and clever heads plotting in Vienna this American end of the game has dangerous possibilities.”

“And when we have young Armitage—­” the Judge began.

“Then we shall know the truth.”

“But suppose—­suppose,” and Judge Claiborne glanced at the door, “suppose Charles Louis, Emperor-king of Austria-Hungary, should die—­to-night—­to-morrow—­”

“We will assume nothing of the kind!” ejaculated the Ambassador sharply.  “It is impossible.”  Then to Captain Claiborne:  “You must pardon me if I do not explain further.  I wish to find Armitage; it is of the greatest importance.  It would not aid you if I told you why I must see and talk with him.”