Show V JACQUES la h y arr COPYRIGHT 1908 zy b THE associated bunday COPYRIGHT 1909 ay THE MERRILL COMPANY 4 SYNOPSIS count coun t dl di ILo sint the tha italian ambassador la 12 at dinner with diplomats in the national capital when a messenger brings a note direct inic him to come to the embassy at once here a beautt beautiful ri young woman aska t that bat she be given a L ticket to the embassy ball the ticket la IF made out in the name of isabel throne chief campbell of the secret service and mr grimm hl hla a head detective are warned that a plot 0 of f the latin races against the engligh speak k ins ing races Is brewing in washl nt and grimm goes to the state ball for or information in a conservatory his attention to la called to aliss isabel thorne who with her companion soon oon disappears A revolver shot ahot is heard and campbell and grimm hasten down the hall to fand that senor benor alvarex of the mexican legation han ha been shot CHAPTER IV continued what sort of a paper was it inquired mr air grimm none of your business came the curt answer who shot you als cre of your business A anani man senor alvare pu waa silent A woman J still silence stilli wt with some new idea mr grimm turned away suddenly and started out into the hall hail ile he met a maidservant maid servant at the door coming in her face was branched and s she 0 stuttered through sheer excitement A lady str i a lady she began mr ml grimm calmly closed the door shutting abutting in the wounded man chief campbell and the others then theli he caught the maid sharply by the arm and shook some coherence into her disordered brain A lady she ran away sir air the girl went on in blank surprise what lady demanded mr grimm coldly where did she run from why did she run the maid stared at him with mouth agape begin at the bo ginning 1 I was in that room farther down the hall ball sir the maid explained the door was open I 1 heard the shot and it frightened me so BO I 1 dont know 1 I was afraid to look out right away sir air then an instant later a lady come running along the hall sir that way and she indicated the rear of the house then I 1 came to the door and I 1 looked out to see sea who it was and what was the matter sir air I 1 was standing there when a man a man came along after the lady and banged the door in my face sir air the door had bid a spring lock and I 1 was waa so so frightened and excited I 1 open it right away str sir and when I 1 did I 1 came hero to see what was the matter she drew a deep breath and stopped that allt all demanded mr grimm yes sir except except the lady had a pistol in her hand band sir air mr air grimm regarded her in silence for a moment who was the lady he asked at last 1 I forget her name sir air she was waa the lady who who fainted in the ballroom sir air just a few minutes ago whatever emotion may have been aroused within mr grimm it certainly found no expression in his face when he be spoke again his voice was quite calm miss aliss thorne perhaps 1 I yes sir the name miss allas thorne I 1 was in the ladles dressing room when she was brought in sir air and I 1 remer remember hber some one called her name mr air grimm took the girl still a er with excitement and led her along the hall to where gray stood take this girl in charge gray he directed lock her up if necessary dont permit her to say one word to anybody anybody you understand except the chief mr grimm left them there lie he passed along the hall glancing in each room as he be went until he came to a short flight of stairs leading toward the kitchen ite he went on down silently the lights were burning but the place was still deserted all the servants who belonged there were evidently for the moment transferred to other posts lie he passed on through the kitchen and out the back door into the street A little distance away leaning against a lamp post a man was standing he might havo been waiting for a car mr grimm approached him beg pardon lie he said did you see a woman come out of the back door there yes just a moment or so ago replied ill ed the stranger she got into an automobile at the corner I 1 imagine this Is hers and he extended a hand kerchief berch lef a dainty perfumed trifle of lace 1 1 I reeled it up immediately sifter after she ph nt sd mr grimm took the handkerchief and examined it under the light for it a time ho he was thoughtful with lowered eyes which finally raised met those of tile tho stranger with a scrutinizing stare why asked mr grimm slowly find and distinctly why did you slam the door in the girls face why did I 1 what came the answering question why NIP by did you slam elam the door in the girls face mr grimm repeated slowly the stranger stared in utter amazement an amazement so frank so so genuine that mr air grimm was satisfied did you see a man come out of the door mr grimm pursued no say young fellow I 1 guess youve had a little too much to drink you but by that time mr air grimm was turning the corner CHAPTER V A visit t to 0 tho the count the bland sere serenity anity of mr camp bells face was disturbed bl by thin spidery lines of perplexity and the guileless blue eyes were vacant as ho be bared at the top jop of his desk mr gelmi who was j from the moment miss thorne turned the borner corner I 1 lost all trace of her ho be said either she had an automobile to in waiting or else she was lucky enough to find one immediately she came out she did not return to the embassy ball last night that much Is certain lie he paused reflectively she la is a guest of senorita inez rodriguez at the venezuelan legation he added yes I 1 know his chief nodded 1 I attempt to see her there N A ilk 1 1 11 6 jv I 1 what sort of paper was it inquired mr grimm last night for two reasons mr grimm continued first she ahe can have no po possible isible knowledge of the fact that she Is suspected unless per door ile he paused anyway she will not attempt to leave washington I 1 am confident of that again it seem wise to me to employ the ardt ordinary crude police methods in the case that Is go to the venezuelan legation and pick up a row for a long time campbell was at silent the perplexed lines still furrowed his bis benevolent forehead the president Is very anxious that we get to facts in this reported latin alliance as soon as possible he said at last irrelevant ile he mentioned the matter last night and he be has been keeping in constant com munica uon with gault in lisbon who however has not been able to add ma serially ter teri lally ally to the original dispatch under all the circumstances dori dorit dont t you think it would be best beat for tile me to relieve you of the investigation of this shooting affair so BO that thai you can concentrate cen on tills this greater and more important thing will senor alyarez alvarez die baked asked mr grimm in turn hla condition is serious although the wound Is ie not necessarily fatal was the reply mr air grimm stretched ched lila his long lone logo legs and stood for a little while gazing out tit the window finally ho he turned to his chief what do we know here in the bureau about miss thorne tills this far the reports on oil her are of the usual perfunctory nature mr campbell explained lie he drew a card from a pigeonhole of hla his desk and glanced at lt it she arrived it in washington two weeks and two da days y a ago g 0 from new york off tho the lus 1 tani a from liverpool she brought some sort of introduction to count tit dl ros rom int the italian ambassador and he be obtained for her a special invitation to the state ball which was held that night until four days ago she was 4 guest at the italian embassy but now as you know to ta a guest at tile the venezuelan legation since her arrival here she has haa beeta prominently pushed forward into society she has gone ever everywhere where and been received everywhere in the diplomatic set we have no knowledge of her beyond this there was a question in mr grimms listless eyes as they met those of the chief the same line of thought was waa running in both their minds born bora perhaps of the association of ideas italy as one of the three great nations known to be in the latin compact prince benedetto dabruzzi of italy the secret envoy of three countries tile the sudden appearance of miss ailse thorne thorn at the the italian embassy and la in the mind of the younger man man there was more than this a definite knowledge of i a message cunningly transmitted to mr air rankin of tile the german embassy by miss aliss thorne there in the ballroom can you imagine he raked asked slowly can you imagine a person who would be of more value to the latin government in washington right at this stage of negotiations than a brilliant woman agent 1 I most certainly cannot was the chiefs unhesitating response in that case I 1 dont think it would be wise to transfer the investigation ol of the shooting affair to another man said bald mr grimm emphatically reverting to his bis chiefs question 1 I think on the contrary we should find out more about miss aliss thorne 11 precisely campbell agreed ask all the great capitals about aboul her madrid paris and rome particularly then perhaps london and berlin and st petersburg mr campbell thoughtfully scribbled the names of the cities on a a slip of paper do you intend to arrest iblas therne for the shooting he queried 1 I dont know replied mr grimm frankly 1 I dont know he repeated musingly if I 1 do arrest her immediately I 1 may cut off a duo clue which will lead to the other affair 1 I 1 dont linow know he concluded use ilse your own Jud judgment guient and b apar ar in mind that a man a man inan the door in the maids face 1 I 1 shall not forget him pa mr grimm answered now im going over to talk to count dl di rosini for a while the young man went out out thoughtfully tugging at his gloves the italian ambassador received him with an inquiring uplift of life his dark brows 1 I came to make some inquiries in to aless thorne miss isabel thorne mr grimm crimin informed him frankly tho the count was surprised but it appear in his face As I 1 understand it the young man pursued you are sponsor for her in washington the count evasively diplomatic born and bred in a school of caution considered the question from every standpoint it may be that I 1 am so BO regarded he admitted ht last may I 1 inquire if tho the sponsorship la Is official personal social or all three mr air grimm continued there was silence for a long time 1 I dont see the trend of your questioning tio ning said the ambassador finally la Is she in every way worthy of your protection I 1 miss thorne is worthy of my protection in every way lots lets suppose a case suggested ted mr grimm blandly suppose miss thorne had had let us say shot a man and lie he was about to die would you feel justified ill withdrawing that that hat protection as aa you call it such a thing Is preposterous ex claimed the a ambassador the utter absurdity of such a chargo charge would impel me to offer her every assistance mr grimm nodded and if it were proved to your satisfaction is that she did shoot him he went on evenly the counts count pa lips were drawn together in a straight line whom may inny I 1 ash he inquired frigidly are we supposing that miss thorne shot no one particularly mr air grimm assured him film easily just suppose that she had shot anybody me say or senor alvarez 1 I cant answer a question so BO ridiculous as that and suppose wo we go a little further mr grimm insisted pleasantly 11 and assume that you know knew she had shot somo some one say eay senor alvarez and you could protect her from the consequences would you 11 1 I decline to suppose suppose anything so utterly absurd was tile the rejoinder mr grimm sat with his elbows on his knees idly twisting a seal ring on his little finger the searching eyes of the he ambassador found his face blankly inscrutable diplomatic representatives in washington have certain obIl obligations gallons to this government the young man reminded him we that is the government of tho the united states undertake to guarantee the personal safety of every accredited representative in return for that protection we must insist upon the name and identity of a dangerous person who may be known to any foreign representative understand der stand please im not asserting that miss aliss thorne Is a dangerous person you are sponsor for her here Is she in every way worthy of your protection yes said eald the ambassador flatly 1 I can take it then that the introduction she brought to you Is from a person choso whoso position Is high enough to insure miss alias position that Is correct IV very gry and mr air grimm went away TO BE CONTINUED |