The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-05-21
Iblankly for a moment, then nod

4
one except you and the stenograph-
er saw the ambassador after ton
o'clock in the morning?"
"0ui. Monsieur. C'est-" Mon
sieur Rigolot began excitedly.
beg pardon. l believe that is cor
rect"
| You saw him about ten, you
say; therefore no one except the
stenographer saw him after ten
o'clock?"
That is also true, as far as i
know"
ANY cellars? Letters? Tele-
grams? Telephone messages?"
Il made inquiries in that direc-
ton, Monsieur" was the reply. IL
have the words of the servants at
the door and of the stenograph
that there were no telephone
calls or kilograms. There we're
only four letters for him person
ally. He left them all on his desk
here they are"
Mr.. Grimm ooked them over
leisurely. They were common
place enough, containing nothing
that might be construed into a
reason for the disappearance.
THE letters Monsieur Boissegur
had dictated were laid on his desk
by the stenograxher," Monsieur
Rigolot rushed ON volubly, ey-
,citedly. "In the anxiety and un-
easiness following the disappear
ance they were allowed to remain
there overnight. On Wednesday
morning, Monsieur"-and he hest
tated impressively-"those letters
bore his signature i'm his own hand
wrnting!"
Mr.. Grimm turned his listless
eyes full upon Monsieur Rigolot's
perturbed face for one scant in
slant.
mo doubt of it being his sig
nature?" he queried.
Non, Monsieur, non!" the Sec
rotary exclaimed emphatically.
l"Vousavez that is, l have known
his signature for years. There is
no doubt. The letters were not of
private nature. II you would
care to look at copies of them p
He offered the duplicates tenta-
lively. Mr.. Grimm read them
over slowly, the while Monsieur
Rigolot sat nervously staring at
him. They, too, seemed meaning
less as bearing on the matter in
hand. Finally, Mr.. Grimm nod
ded, and Monsieur Rigolot re-
sumed:
And Wednesday night, Mon
sieur, another strange thing hap
pened. Monsieur Boissegur smokes
many cigarettes, of a kind made
especially for him in France, and
shipped to him here. He keeps
them in case on his dressing
table. On Thursday morning his
valet reported to me that this case
of cigarettes had Disappeared"
"Of course" observed Mr..
Grimm, "Monseiru Boissegur has
latch-key to the embassy"
"Of course"
Anything unusual happen last
inight-that is, Thursday night?"
Nothing, Monsieur-that is,
nothing we can find"
Mr.. Grimm was silent for a time
and fell to twisting the seal ring
on his finger. Mr.. Campbell turn
ed around and moved paper
weight one inch to the left, where
1t belonged, while Monsieur Rigo-
lot, disappointed at their amazing
apathy, squirmed uneasily In his
chair.
ut would appear, them" Mr..
Grimm remarked musingly, that
after his mysterious disappearance
the ambassador has either twice
returned to his house at night, or
else sent some one there, first to
bring the letters to him for sig
nature, and later to get his cigar
,ettes?"
"Certainment. Monsieur
mean, that seems to be true. But
where is he? Why should he not
come back? What does 1t mean?
Madame Boissegur is frantic,
Frustrated! She wanted me to go
to the police, but l did not think
it wise that 1t should become pub
lie, 80 I came here"
Very WE'LL" commented Mr..
Grimm. Let IL rest as IL is.
Meanwhile you may reassure md
aame. Point out to her that IL
Monsieur Boissegur signed the let
tiers Tuesday night he was, at least,
alive; and IL he came or sent for
the cigarettes Wednesday night,
he was still alive. / shall call at
the embassy this afternoon. No,
1t isn't advisable. to go with you
now. Give me your latch-key,
please"
Monsieur Rigolot produced the
key and passed it over without q
word.
"And one other thing" Mr..
Grimm continued, please collect
all the revolvers that may be in
the house and take charge of them
yourself. If anyone, by chance,
heard a burglar prowling around
there tonight he might shoot, and
In that event either kill Monsieur
Boissegur sor--or mel"
When the secretary had gone
Mr.. Campbell idly drummed on his
desk as he studied the face Of his
subordinate.
$50 much!" he commented