Elusive Isabel Part 5

"Thus far the reports on her are of the usual perfunctory nature," Mr.

Campbell explained. He drew a card from a pigeonhole of his desk and glanced at it. "She arrived in Washington two weeks and two days ago from New York, off the _Lusitania_, from Liverpool. She brought some sort of an introduction to Count di Rosini, the Italian amba.s.sador, and he obtained for her a special invitation to the state ball, which was held that night. Until four days ago she was a guest at the Italian emba.s.sy, but now, as you know, is a guest at the Venezuelan legation.

Since her arrival here she has been prominently pushed forward into society; she has gone everywhere, and been received everywhere in the diplomatic set. We have no knowledge of her beyond this."

There was a question in Mr. Grimm's listless eyes as they met those of his chief. The same line of thought was running in both their minds, born, perhaps, of the a.s.sociation of ideas--Italy as one of three great nations known to be in the Latin compact; Prince Benedetto d'Abruzzi, of Italy, the secret envoy of three countries; the sudden appearance of Miss Thorne at the Italian emba.s.sy. And in the mind of the younger man there was more than this--a definite knowledge of a message cunningly transmitted to Mr. Rankin, of the German emba.s.sy, by Miss Thorne there in the ball-room.

"Can you imagine--" he asked slowly, "can you imagine a person who would be of more value to the Latin governments in Washington right at this stage of the negotiations than a brilliant woman agent?"

"I most certainly can not," was the chief's unhesitating response.

"In that case I _don't_ think it would be wise to transfer the investigation of the shooting affair to another man," said Mr. Grimm emphatically, reverting to his chief's question. "I think, on the contrary, we should find out more about Miss Thorne."

"Precisely," Campbell agreed.

"Ask all the great capitals about 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 slip of paper.

"Do you intend to arrest Miss Thorne for the shooting?" he queried.

"I don't know," replied Mr. Grimm frankly. "I don't know," he repeated musingly. "If I _do_ arrest her immediately I may cut off a clue which will lead to the other affair. I don't know," he concluded.

"Use your own judgment, and bear in mind that a man--_a man_ slammed the door in the maid's face."

"I shall not forget him," Mr. Grimm answered. "Now I'm going over to talk to Count di Rosini for a while."

The young man went out, thoughtfully tugging at his gloves. The Italian amba.s.sador received him with an inquiring uplift of his dark brows.

"I came to make some inquiries in regard to Miss Thorne--Miss Isabel Thorne," Mr. Grimm informed him frankly.

The count was surprised, but it 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 school of caution, considered the question from every standpoint.

"It may be that I am so regarded," he admitted at 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 don't see the trend of your questioning," said the amba.s.sador finally. "Miss Thorne is worthy of my protection in every way."

"Let's suppose a case," suggested Mr. Grimm blandly. "Suppose Miss Thorne had--had, let us say, shot a man, and he was about to die, would you feel justified in withdrawing that--that protection, as you call it?"

"Such a thing is preposterous!" exclaimed the amba.s.sador. "The utter absurdity of such a charge would impel me to offer her every a.s.sistance."

Mr. Grimm nodded.

"And if it were proved to your satisfaction that she _did_ shoot him?"

he went on evenly.

The count's lips were drawn together in a straight line.

"Whom, may I ask," he inquired frigidly, "are we supposing that Miss Thorne shot?"

"No one, particularly," Mr. Grimm a.s.sured him easily. "Just suppose that she _had_ shot anybody--me, say, or Senor Alvarez?"

"I can't answer a question so ridiculous as that."

"And suppose we go a little further," Mr. Grimm insisted pleasantly, "and a.s.sume that you _knew_ she _had_ shot some one, say Senor Alvarez, and you _could_ protect her from the consequences, _would_ you?"

"I decline to suppose anything so utterly absurd," was 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 amba.s.sador found his face blankly inscrutable.

"Diplomatic representatives in Washington have certain obligations to this government," the young man reminded him. "We--that is, the government of 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 ident.i.ty of a dangerous person who may be known to any foreign representative. Understand, please, I'm not a.s.serting that Miss Thorne is a dangerous person. You are sponsor for her here. Is she, in every way, worthy of your protection?"

"Yes," said the amba.s.sador flatly.

"I can take it, then, that the introduction she brought to you is from a person whose position is high enough to insure Miss Thorne's position?"

"That is correct."

"Very well!"

And Mr. Grimm went away.

VI

REVELATIONS

Some vague, indefinable shadow darkened Miss Thorne's clear, blue-gray eyes, in sharp contrast to the glow of radiant health in her cheeks, as she stepped from an automobile in front of the Venezuelan legation, and ran lightly up the steps. A liveried servant opened the door.

"A gentleman is waiting for you, Madam," he announced. "His card is here on the--"

"I was expecting him," she interrupted.

"Which room, please?"

"The blue room, Madam."

Miss Thorne pa.s.sed along the hallway which led to a suite of small drawing-rooms opening on a garden in the rear, pushed aside the portieres, and entered.