Show 7 SERIAL STORY r- r ELUSIVE ISA ISABEL EL ELBy By JACQUES FUTRELLE V IE II Illustrations lAT hy y M. M M. M lun f III n. n Dob m 1 CHAPTER I. I 1 4 4 Ml Mice MIas s Isabel Thome Thorne All the world rubs elbows In Wash Wash- ington Outwardly It Is merely a city of evasion of ot conventionalities sated with the tho commonplace pleasures of life Ute listless blase even and always exquisitely albeit frigidly courteous but beneath the still sUll suave surface strange currents play at cross purposes purposes pur pur- poses Intrigue Is endless and the merciless war of diplomacy goes on unceasingly Occasionally only occasionally occasionally oc oc- oc- oc a bubble c comes mes to the surface surface sur sur- face race and when It bursts the echo goes crashing around the earth Sometimes Sometimes Some Some- times a dynasty Is shaken a nation trembles a ministry topples over but the ripple moves and all Is placid again No man may know all that happens there for then he would e diplomatic master of ot the world There Is plenty plent of red blood In Washington W re remarked a Jesting leg- leg gray beard once upon a time but its it's always frozen before they put putt It t In circulation Diplomatic negotiations are conducted In the drawing drawing- room but long before that the fight fights Is s fought down cellar The diplo- diplo meet at table and there Isn't any broken crockery but you can always alwa's tell what the player thinks thinks of Df the dealer by the way ho he draws three cards Everybody Is after results results re re- re- re suits and lots of monarchs of Europe sIt Bit up I nights polishing their crowns waiting for mr word from Washington So this Is Washington And here at dinner are the diplomatic representatives of all the nations That Is the British ambassador that stolid stolid- faced aced looking distinguished elderly man and this Is the French ambassador dor tier dapper apper volatile plus-correct plus here Russia's highest representative wags a huge blond beard and yonder yon onder on der Is the phlegmatic German ambas ambas- Scattered around the table brilliant of color are the uniformed envoys of ot the Orient Orient the tho smaller the country the more brilliant the splotch It Is a state dinner to tobe tobe tol l be e foll followed wed by a state ball and they are all present The Italian ambassador Count di dl Rosin was trying to Interpret a French bon mot mat Into English for the benefit of the dainty like doll wife wite of the Chinese minister who minister who was educated educated edu- edu Radcliffe when when servant rated at a leaned over him and laid a sealed envelope envelope envelope en en- beside his plate The count glanced around at the servant excused ex ox- himself to Mrs Quong Quang LI WI Wl and opened the envelope Inside was wasa a single sheet of embassy note paper and a terse line signed by his secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary A A lady Is waiting for you here She says sas she must see you Immediately Immediate Immediate- ly on a matter of the greatest Importance Im Im- Im- Im Th The count read the note twice with wrinkled brow then scribbled on It In pencil Impossible night to-night Tell her herto to call at the embassy embassy morrow to-morrow morrow to-morrow mornIng morn morn- Ing lag at half past ten He folded the tha note handed It to the servant and resumed his conversation conversation conversa conversa- tion lion with Mrs WI Half Halt an hour later the same servant placed a second sealed envelope beside beside be be- e. e side his plate pla e. Recognizing the sup super super- r- r I the ambassador Impatiently Intending to disregard shoved It t aside card gard It But Dut Irritated curiosity finally finaly final final- I ly Iy y triumphed and he opened it A A A 7 card on which was v.-as written this command was his reward It IB Is necessary that you come to the embassy at once There was no signature The handwriting hand band writing was unmistakably that of ot a woman and just as unmistakably strange to him lie Ho frowned Crowned a little as ns bo ho stared at it wonderingly then Idly turned tho the card over o There wea W S Sno no name on the tho reverse side only side only a cr crest st st. Evidently the count recognized this for his Impassive faco face reflected surprise for an Instant and this was as followed by a keen bewildered interest Inter Inter- est he arose ar made a his apolo gies and nd reit relt toe Lao room tiis iia JI automo automobile bile wa was at the door To the embassy he ho directed the eha chauffeur And within five tive minutes ho he was there thero His secretary met him In the hall hail The dy ts la waiting In your YOW office be ho explained apologetically I 1 gave aTO ber your message but she sho said sho must see you and would write you a 11 aline aline line herself henelt I 1 sent it Il It Quite correct commented the ambassador am am- What name did she give gIver None was the reply Sho She said none was necessary The ambassador laid aside asido hat and andI I co coUt t and entered his bis office omCO with a aI I I slightly puzzled puttied expression on his I face Standing before belore a window gai- gai tug Idly out Into Inlo the he U spangled night WM was waz a young woman rather tall taU and severely gowned owned In some rich glistening glistening- stuff which fell feU away sheer sheer- ly Jy from her splendid bare baro shoulders She turned and he found himself lookIng lookIng look- look Ing Into a pair of clear gray blue-gray eyes oes frank tM enough and yet In their very frankness possessing an on alluring Indefinable Indefinable In In- definable subtlety Ho would not have called her pretty yet her smile slight as was singularly charmIng charm charm- lag Ing and there radiated from her a something personality perhaps perhaps- which held his Ills glance He Ho bowed low and closed the door I am at your service Madam ho he said Bald In ia a tone toRe of deep respect Please pardon my delay In coming to you It IB is unfortunate that I didn't write the first note she apologized gra gm- graciously a- a it would at least have saved a little time You have the card 1 He produced It silently crest down and handed It to her She struck a match lighted the card card caid and It crumbled crumbled crum crum- bled up In her gloved hand The last Jast tiny Uny scrap found refuge In a silver sliver tray where she watched It burn bum to ashes then she turned to the ambassador ambassador dor with a brilliant smile He was still standing The dinner Isn't Isn't- over yet she Inquired No Madam not for another hour perhaps Then theres there's no harm done she went on lightly The dinner isn't of ot any consequence but I should like very ery much to attend the ball after after- ward Can you arrange It for me I dont don't know Just how I would proceed proceed pro pro- Madam the ambassador objected object object- ed diffidently It would be rather unusual Unusual un Un- usual difficult I may say and and and- But surely you can arrange It someway someway some someway way she Interrupted demurely The highest diplomatic representative tive of ot a great nation should not find It difficult to arrange so simple a matter matter matter mat mat- ter as as-as as as this 1 Sho She was smiling Pardon me for tor suggesting It Madam Madam Mad Mad- am the ambassador persisted courteously courteously courteously courte courte- but anything out of the usual attracts attention In Washington I 1 dare say from the manner of your appearance appearance appearance ap ap- ap- ap to-night to that you would not care t to attract attention to yourself She regarded him with an enigmatic ic smile I Im afraid you you dont don't know women wom worn en Count she slie Bald aid ald slowly at last Theres nothing dearer to a womans woman's hc heart rt than to attract attention to her- her J. J 1 A f The Handwriting Was Unmistakably That of a Woman self She a laughed a throaty silvery note that was charming And l If you I hesitate now then morrow to-morrow wh to why to-morrow to I am gong going to ask that you open to me me all this Washington world this this brilliant world of ot diplomatic so so- You see what I ask now Is simple The ambassador was respectfully silent and deeply thoughtful for a time There was perhaps something of resentment struggling within him and certainly there was an uneasy feeling of rebellion at attempt to thrust him forward against all precedent prece prece- dent Your requests are of so a nature that that that- he began In courteous protestation There was no trace of f Impatience In Inthe Inthe Inthe the womans woman's manner she was still sUll smiling It Is necessary that I attend the ball tonight she explained you may Imagine how bow necessary when I say I sailed from Liverpool six days das ago reaching New York at past half three o'clock this afternoon and at half half- past four I was as on my way here I 1 ha have ve been here less than one hour I 1 came from Liverpool espe especially lally that I might be present and I even dressed on the train so there would bo ho bond bono honc no nc nd delay delay- Now do you see s e the necessity necessity sity of or It IU Diplomatic procedure is along w nl- nl oiled grooves and the diplomatist who steps out of the tho rut for an instant happens happens hap hap- pens upon strange and unexpected ob ob- ob Knowing this the ambassador dor still sun hesitated The Tho woman Vroman apparently apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap understood I had hoped that this would not be necessary she remarked and she sheI produced a small sealed scaled envelope I Please read It The ambassador received the envelope en en- with uplifted brows bros opened It and road rend what was WIlS written on a folded folded fold fold- ed sheet of at paper Some subtle working working work work- ing of his hs brain brough sudden Budden change In the expression of tt his bis faze face Th Tb There r rO was wonder la in It ft and nod amazement amazement amaze amaze- ment meat and more than these Again ho bo bowed 10 lowI lowI low I am at your service Madam ho he repeated repeated- I shall take pleasure in making any arrangements that are necessary Again I beg your pardon And It will wUl not be so very difficult d after atter aU all all will It she Inquired and she smiled tauntingly It will not nol be at all difficult Madam Madam Madam Mad Mad- am the tha ambassador assured her gravely I shall take steps stops at once to have an Invitation Issued to you for tor to-night to and to-morrow to I shall hall be beS S pleased d to proceed as you yon may sug gest lest She nodded He folded tho the note r re replaced replaced re- re placed It In the envelope and returned her with another deep bow She drew her skirts about her and sat down he be stood It will wUl be bo necessary for your name to appear on the Invitation the ambassador ambassador am am- went on to explain If U you give me rae your name Ill I'll have my secretary see sec rotary rotary- Oh yes yea my name she Interrupted gaily aUy Why Count you embarrass me You know really I 1 have havo no name namo Isn't It awkward T r TI rI I understand under perfectly Madam responded the count I should howd haTe hare said a name Sho She meditated a moment Well say Miss anT Miss Thome Thorne Miss Isabel Isabel isabel Isa Isa- bel Thome she suggested at lat lait That will do very nicely dont don't you think Very Miss Thome Thorne and the ambassador bowed again Please excuse excuse excuse ex ex- ex- ex cuse me a moment and Ill I'll give my secretary Instructions how to proceed There will wUl be bo a delay of ot a few min rain utes Ho opened the door and went out For a minute or or more Miss Thorne Thome sat perfectly still gazing at tho the blank wooden panels then she rose and went to the window again In the dIstance distance dis die tance hazy In the soft Bott night the dome of the capitol rose mistily over to the right was the congressional library and out there thero where the lights sparkled sparkled spar spar- kled lay Pennsylvania Avenue a S thread of ot commerce Mica Mies Thorne Thome saw It all and suddenly stretched out her arms with an enveloping all gesture She stood so for a minute then they fell fel le beside her and she was motion motion- less Count d dl di Rosin entered is arranged Miss Thome Thorne he announced Will wm you go with me In my automobile or do you prefer preter to go alone Ill go alone please she answered answer answer- ed after a moment I shall be there thereabout thereabout about eleven x The Tho ambassador bowed himself out And so Miss Isabel Thorns Thome came oame to Washington TO BE nm CONTINUED |