| Show I II I ELUSIVE IS ABEL By JACQUES FUTRELLE t by DY M. M KETTNER Copyright lees IMS by The Amoo Associated latt 1 Copyright nm laos by Bobbs 4 I SYN SYNOPSIS SIS k I Count dl Rosini the Italian ambassador ambas ambas- Is at dinner with diplomats in the nc national capital when a messenger brings a note directing him to come to the he embassy at once Here a beautiful young woman asks that she ha be given givena a n. ticket to the embassy ball baU The ticket ticket ticket tick tick- et Is made out In the name of Miss 1 Is Isabel Isabel Isabel Is- Is abel Throne Chief Campbell of the secret service and Mr 1 Grimm his head detective are warned that a plot of the Latin jatin races against the English speakIng speak- speak Ing ng races is brewing In Washington and Grimm goes to the state ball for Information In Iii a a. conservatory his attention attention at- at Is called to Miss Isabel Isabe Thorne Thome who with her companion soon pears A revolver shot Is heard and Campbell and Grimm hasten down the hall tall to find that Senor Alvarez of th the Mexican legation has been shot IV Continued What sort of a paper was it Inquired Inquired Inquired In In- Mr Grimm None of your our Our business came the curt urt answer Who shot you None of your our business A man Senor enor Alvarez was silent A woman V Still SUll silence With some new idea Mr 1 Grimm turned turned timed away away suddenly and started out Into nto the ball hall He met a servant maid-servant at t the door coming in Her Hor face was blanched and she stuttered through sheer heer excitement A lady sir sir sir-a a lady lady lady- she began Mr Grimm calmly closed the door shutting hutting In the wounded man Chief Campbell and the others Then ho caught aught the maid sharply by the arm armand armand armand and shook some coherence into her disordered brainA brainA brainA brain A she lady she ran away sir the girl went on 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 athe atthe atthe the he beginning I was in that room farther down the he hall hail all sir the maid explained The door was open I heard the shot and it frightened me so so so-I I dont don't know I I was afraid to look out right away sir sir ir Then an Instant later a lady come running along the hall sir that sir that way and she indicated the rear of the he house Then I came to the door and looked out to see who it was and nd what was the he matter sir I was standing there when a man man man-a a man came along after the lady and banged the be door in my face sir The door had lad a tl spring lock and I 1 was so so-so so so frightened and excited I couldn't open it right away sir sir and and when I did I came hero here to see what was the mat mat- ter She Site drew a d deep ep brea breath h and stopped Grimm That all demanded Mr Yes sir except except except-except except the lady adY bad a tl pistol In her hand sir sIr sIr- Mr Grimm regarded her in silence for tor or a moment Who was vas the lad lady he asked at I last ast I forget her name sir She was the he lad lady who who who-who who fainted faUlted in Inthe the ll- ll room sir just a few minutes ago V Whatever emotion may have been been aroused within Mr Grimm it ft certainly I found bund no rio expression in his face When he be spoke again his voice was quite calm Miss 1 Thorne Thome perhaps Yes sir that's the name name Miss Miss Thorne I was in the ladies ladies' dr room when she was brought in sir and I J remember some one called her hei name V Mr Grimm took the girl still stilly a er el with ex excrement and led her her along the he hall to where Gray stood Take this girl in charge Gray he directed Lock her up if it necessary Dont Don't permit her to say one word ord to at anybody anybody you understand except the chief He Mr Grimm left them there passed along the h hall lJ glancing In each each room room as he be went until he ho came canto to a short flight of stairs leading toward down silently silently silent silent- silently the kitchen lIe He went on ly ly The lights were burning but the place was still sUll deserted All the servants servants servo ants who belonged there were were evidently evidently evi evi- dently for forthe the moment transferred to other posts He Ho passed on through the kitchen and out the tho back back backdoor door Into the street A little distance away leaning I against a lamp post a man wa was stand- stand I Ing lug He might have been waiting for fora rora a car Mr Grimm approached him Beg Deg pardon he said did you see come out of ot the back door a. a woman there 1 Yes Just a moment or so ago replied replied replied re re- re- re plied the tIle stranger She got Into an automobile at the corner I Imagine this Is hers and he lie extended a hand band trifle of dainty perfumed a lac I X Picked It lt up immediately V after she she passed too the handkerchief an r ll t AIr Mr Grimm tool and examined It under the light For Fora a time he was thoughtful with lowered low ered e eyes es which finally raised met those of the stranger with a scrutinizing scrutinizing stare I Why asked Mr 1 Grimm slowly and distinctly why did you slam the thedoor thedoor thedoor door in the girls girl's face Why did I what I-what what hat came th the answering answering answering an an- question Why did you slam the the door in the girls girl's face Mr l Grimm repeated slowly The stranger stared in utter amazement amaze amaze- ment an meat an amazement so frank so un un- acted so 50 genuine that Mr Grimm was satisfied x Did you see a man come out of oft the t e door Mr Grimm pursued No Say young fellow C guess youve you've had bad a little too much to drink haven't you But by that time Mr Grimm was turning the corner CHAPTER VA V V. A Visit to the Count The bland serenity of Mr Campbells Campbell's Campbell's Campbells Campbells Campbell's Camp Camp- bells bell's face was disturbed by thin spidery lines or of perplexity and the guileless blue eyes were vacant as he stared at the top of his desk Mr Grimm wa was tall talking From the moment Miss 1 Thome Thorne turned the corner I lost all trac trace of at her he said Either she had sn automobile automobile automobile au au- au- au In waiting or else she was lucky enough to find one immediately she came out She did not to the embassy ball last night that night that t much is certain He paused reflectively reflectively reflectively She is a guest of Senorita Inez Rodriguez at the Venezuelan legation legation legation le le- le- le gation he added V Yes I know his chief nodded I didn't attempt to see her there last night for two reasons Mr Grimm continued First she can have no possible knowledge of the fact that she is suspected unless perhaps perhaps per per perhaps haps the man who slammed the thedoor thedoor thedoor door door door- He paused Anyway she will not attempt to leave Va Washington I am confident of that Again it didn't seem wise to me to employ the ordinary ordinary nary crude police methods in the case that is go to the Venezuelan legation legation legation lega lega- tion and pick up a row For a long time Campbell was silent silent si si- si lent the perplexed lines still furrowed his benevolent forehead The president I Is very anxious t that tt we get to facts in this reported Latin alliance as soon as possible he said at last irrelevantly He mentioned the matter last night and he has been keeping in constant communication tion with Gault in Lisbon who bw- bw ever has not been able to add materially materially ma ma- to the original dispatch Under Under Under Un Un- der all the circumstances dont don't you think it would be best for me to relieve relieve relieve re re- re- re lieve you ou of the Investigation of this shooting affair so that you you can concentrate concentrate con con- on this greater and more important important im im- un- un V thing Will Senor Alvarez die asked Mr Grimm In turn His condition is serious although the wound Is not necessarily fat fatal l was the reply Mr Grimm arose stretched his long longlegs longlegs longlegs legs and stood for a little while gazing out the window Finally he turned to his chief What do we know here in the bureau bu reau about Miss Thorne This far the reports on her are of the usual perfunctory nature Mr Campbell Camphell explained He drew drew a card from a pigeonhole of his desk and glanced at it ft She arrived in WashIngton WashIngton Washington Wash Wash- ington two weeks and two days ago from New York off the Lusitania from Liverpool She brought some sort of introduction to Count dl di RosIni Ros- Ros Ini ml the Italian ambassador and he lie obtained obtained ob ob- ob- ob tamed for her a special Invitation to the state ball which was held that night Until four days ago she was wasa a guest at the Italian embassy but hut i II 7 V What Sort of Paper Was Wa It IU InQuired Inquired Inquired In In- Mr Grimm now as you know is a gues gues- at the Venezuelan legation her arrival arrival arrival ar ar- rival hie she has been pT prominently pushed forward into society j she has hns gone and been received everywhere in the diplomatic set We have no no knowledge of her beyond this V There was a question in Mr Grimms Grimm's listless eyes ces as they met those of the chief The rhe same line Une of ot thought was running in both their minds born perhaps perhaps per per- haps of the association of oC ideas Ideas Ideas-I Italy Ideas Italy as one of the three greAt gret nations known to be In the Latin compact Prince Benedetto dAbruzzi of Italy the secret envoy of three countries th the sudden appearance appearance of or Miss 1188 Thorne at the Italian embassy And AndIn AndIn Andin In the mind of or the younger ma maa there was more than this a this a definite knowledge knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- edge of or a message cunningly transmitted transmitted trans trans- to Mr Rankin of or the German embassy by Miss Thorne there In the ballroom Can you imagine V he che asked slow slow- ly can you Ima ine a a person nerson who would be of or more more value to the Latin LaUti government In Washington right light at this stage of negotiations than a bill bill- Hant woman agent I most certainly cannot was wan the chiefs chief's unhesitating response In that case I dont don't think it would be wise to transfer the investigation of the shooting affair to an another ther man said Mr Grimm emphatically llY reverting revert ing tag to his chiefs chief's question I think on the contrary we should find out more about Miss iriss Thorne Precisely Campbell agreed Ask all the great capitals about her hei Madrid Paris and Rome particularly particular particular- Iy ly then perhaps London and Berlin and St. St Petersburg Mr Campbell thoughtfully scribbled the names of or the cities on a slip sUp of paper V Do you intend to arrest Miss Thorne for the shooting he quer quer- I dont don't know replied Mr Grimm frankly I dont don't know he repeated musingly If It I do arrest her Immediately Immediately immediately Imme imme- I may cut of off a clue which will lead to the other affair I dont don't know he concluded Use your own judgment and bear bearin in mind that a man man man-a a man slammed the door in the maids maid's face I 1 shall not forget him Mr Ir Grimm answered Now Im I'm going over to talk to Count dl di Rosini for a while The young man went out thoughtfully thought fully tugging at his gloves The ItalIan Italian italian Ital ital- ian ambassador received him with an Inquiring uplift of his dark brows I came to make some inquiries In regard to Miss Miss Theme Miss Isabel Thorne Mr Grimm informed him frankly The o count was surprised but hut it didn't didn t appear In his face As I understand it the young man pursued you are sponsor for her in Washington The count evasively diplomatic born and bred in a of caution r N Is She Shed in- in Way Every Every Way Worthy of V Your Protection 1 considered the question from every standpoint It may be that I am so regarded he admitted at bot last May I inquire If the sponsorship is official personal social or all three Mr Grimm continued There was silence for a long time I 1 dont don't see see the trend of your ques said the ambassador finally Miss Thorne is worthy of my protection tion in every way Lets suppose a case suggested Mr Grimm blandly Suppose Miss Thorne had had had-had had let us say shot a aman aman aman man and he was about to die would you feel justified in withdrawing that that that protection as you call it Such a thing is preposterous exclaimed exclaimed ex ex- ex claimed the ambassador The utter absurdity of such a charge would impel im pel me to offer her ev every ry assistance Mr Grimm nodded And if it were proved to your satisfaction satisfaction sat sat- that she did shoot him he went on evenly The counts count's lips were drawn together er in a straight line Whom may I ask asIc he Inquired frigidly are we supposing that Miss Thorne shot No one particularly Mr Grimm assured him easily Just suppose that she had shot anybody me anybody me say or Senor Alvarez I 1 cant can't answer a question so ridiculous ridiculous ridic ridic- ulous as that And suppose we go a little furher further further fur fur- ther her Mr Grimm Insisted pleasantly and assume that you knew she had shot some one say Send Seno Alvarez and you could protect h her r. r from the consequences would you you I I decline to suppose ai so utterly absurd was the Mr Grimm sat with his hiE elbows on his knees idly twisting a a t seal ring on his little finger The seat scanning eyes eres of the ambassador found his face blankly Diplomatic wives represent in Washington have certain obligations to this government the oung young man reminded him We We that that rs rs the gov gov- of or the United Stal Sta Stairs es under under undertake take to guarantee the pers nal safety of every accredited representative In hi return for that protection AC c must Insist insist In in- upon the name and identity idi of or a dangerous person who may be known to any foreign representative Ive Understand Un please Im I'm not asserting that Miss 1 Thorne Is a dangerous per per- son You are sponsor for her here Is she In every way wort worthy y of or your protection 1 Yes Yeb said the ambassador flail flatly all I can take it then that the she brought to you is from a person whose position is high enough t to Insure Miss Thome's Thomes position That Is correct Very well And Mr Gr Grimm mm went away I TO BE DE CONTINUED D. 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