Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

CONFIDENT at last that wherever he was he was
- unmatched. Mr. Grimm just deciding that
further inaction useless when his stran1ng ears
caught the faint grating of metal against metal, per-
haps the insertion of a KEY in the lock His hands
grew STILL his eyes closed And after a moment a
door creaked slightly its hinges, and breath OF
cool air informed Mr. Grimm instantly that the open
door wherever it led to the outside and freedom
There was another faint creakng the door was
closed. Mr.. Grimms nerveless hands closed IN
voluntarily and his teeth set together tightly
Who had entered? Was it to be knife thrust in the
dark? If then what! He expected the flare of
match; instead there soft tread and the rustic
of skirts A woman! Mr.. Grimm S caution was all
but forgotten in his surprise. AS the steps drew
nearer his clenched fingers 1oosened; he waited.
Two hands, stretched forward in the dark, touched
him simultaneously, one on the face, the
breast \ singular thrill shot through him; but
there not flicker of eye or the twtch1ng OF
a finger The woman-it was woman seemed to
be bending over him now then he heard her drop on
her knees beside him, and she pressed an 1nqu1r1ng
ear to his left side 1t the heart test.
Thank God!' she breathed softly.
1t was only by masterful effort that MIR. Grimm
held himself limp and inert; for strange fragrance
enveloping hlnl,-a fragrance he knew
The hands fumbling at his breast again, and
there was the sharp cracke OF paper At hrst ne
didn't understand; then he knew that the woman
had pinned paper the lapel of his coat Finally
she Strengthened up and took two steps away from
him after which came a pause. His keenly attuned
caught her faint breathing then the rustic of her
skirts she turned back She was Leaning over h1In
again; her lips touched his forehead. barely Again
there quick rusting OF skirts the door creaked,
and-sience, deep oppressive, overwhelming silence.
Nv Lady of Mystery! Was he dreaming! Less
than week ago he stood beside her at the rail of a
Europe bound steamer beside her until Sandy
Hook was passed. and he taken off by Govern
nent vessel And now she was back IN Vas hlng ton!
There was no doubt of her identity in his mind. But
how. How: Strangely enough, at this point he
ceased wondering and fell to remembering her kiss,
light as air, and the softly spoken Thank God! ,
She did care, then! She had understood, that day!
The kiss OF woman beloved IS splendid heart
NJ on he
couch there in the dark, himself again He touched
the slip of paper that NJ Lady of Mystery had pinned
to his coat to make sure it was not all dream after
which he recalled the fact that while he had heard
the door creak before she out he had not heard
it creak she closed it behind her. Therefore, the
door was open. She had left it open! Purposelys
That was beside the question at the moment.
And why was My Lady of Mystery back in " ash
ington? Pondering that Mr. Grimm S excellent teeth
clicked sharply together and he rose He knew the
answer to that question The secret alliance was to
be signed the alliance that would array the civil
lied world in arms the Latin against the English
speaking peoples He had failed to block that as he
thought. If Ny Lady of Mystery had returned, then
Prince Benedetto d Abruzzi had returned with her;
for it was the expulsion of both that he had at
tempted And Prince Benedetto d Abruzzi held alb
soute power to sign the secret compact for Italy,
France and SPAIN
CTEALTHILY, feeling his way as he went, Mr.,
~ Grimm moved toward the door leading to tree
dom, guided by the fresh draft of air. He reached
the door,-it was standing open,-and a mo-
ment later stepped out into the Starl1t nSht
1t open country here, with thread of
white road just ahead, and farther along a n
fringe of shrubbery. Mr.. Grimm reached the ~
road, and far down it, pinpoint in the night
a light fickered through nteracing branches
The tail lamp of automobile, OF course. 4
Mr.. Grimm left the road and skrted a
sparse hedge in the direction of the light
After moment he heard the engine of auton1o-
bile and woman-My Lady of Mystery barely
acknowledgement into the AS it started
forward he staked everything bold move
and won, his reward being narrow sitting space in
the rear of the car hidden from its occupants by the