The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-05-14
lE.N II DSNWlH, BY jacques FutrelIe
Copyright 1909 TO a ID II II
BY Bobbe-Merrifi Co SAAJ0 jC1 JL

- -a-..--.-.--.~---=
And then the answer came. 1t
took the unexpected prosaic form
of a violent sneeze, a vociferous
outburst on a bench directly be-
hind Mr.. Grimm. Senorita Rod
riguez jumped. then laughed ner-I
vously.
1T startled me-" she explained. |
Il think there must be a draft
from the conservatory" said a.
mans voice apologetcally. do
you ladies feel It? Nor Well. I'll
you'll excuse me-"
Mr.. Grimm glanced back Ian
guidly. The speaker was Charles
Winthrop Rankin, brilliant
young American lawyer who was
attached to the German embassy
in an advisory capacity. Among
other things he was a Heidelberg
man, having spent some dozen
years of his life in Germany, where
he established influential connec-j
tions. Mr. Grimm knew him only
by sight.
And now the rhythmical tapping
of Miss Thorne's fan underwent a
change. There was a flutter of
gaiety in her voice the while the
ivory fan tapped steadily.
"Dot-dot-dot! Dash! Dash
dash-dash! Dot-dot-dash! Dash!"
"S-t-5-u-t," Mr.. Grimm
read in Morse. He laughed pleas
antly at some remark of his COM
panion.
"Dash-dash! Dot-dash! Dash
dot" said the fan.
Man." Mr.. Grimm spelled
it out, the while his listless eyes
roved aimlessiy over the throng.
"S--t-5-u-t m-a-ni" Was
1t meant for stout man? Mr..
Grimm wondered.
"Dot-dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash!
Observation-Disclosures! Dot"
"Q-a-j-ei" Mr.. Grimm was
puzzled little now, but there was
not a wrinkle, nor the tiniest indi-
cation of perplexity in his face.
Instead he began talking of Ra-
phael's cherubs, the remark being
called into life by the high COM
|plexion of young man who was
passing. Miss Thorne glanced at
him once keenly, her splendid eyes
fairly aglow, and the fan ratified
on in the code.
"Dash-dot! Dot! Dot--dash!
"N-e-a-f." Mr.. Grimm was
still spelling 1t out.
Then came a perfect tumble.
Mr.. Grimm followed 1t with diff
Guilty, a difficulty utterly belied by
the quizzical lines about his
mouth. AS he caught 1t, : ,as
like this: "J-5-n-s-e-
lv-a-t-5-f," followed by an
signal which is not in
the Morse code: "Dash-dot-dash-
dash!"
Mr.. Grimm carefully stored
that tumble away in some recess
of his brain. along with the un-
known signal.
"D--5-5-f," he read, and
then, on to the end: "B-f-i-n
g 5-v-e-f w-h-e-n-gI
That was all, apparently. The
soft clatter of the fan against the
arm Of the chair ran on meaning
1essly after that.
May l bring you an iceT' Mr..
Grimm asked at last.
"If you will, please" responded
the senorita, land when you come |
back I'll reward you by presenting
you to Miss Thorne. You'll find
her charming; and Mr.. Cadwal-
lader has monopolized her long
enough"
Mr.. Grimm bowed and left her.
He had barely disappeared when
Mi. Rankin lounged along in front
of Miss Thorne. He glanced at
her. paused and greeted her effu-
sively.
why, Miss Thorne!" he ex-l
claimed. "I'm delighted to see
you here. understood you would
not be present, and"
Their hands met in a friendly
clasp as she rose and moved away,
with nod of excuse to Mr.. Cad
wallader. A thin slip OF paper,
thrice folded, passed from Mr..
Rankin to her. She tugged at her
glove, and thrust the little paper,
still folded, inside the palm.
els it yes, or nor" Miss Thorne
asked in a low tone.
Frankly, I can't say" was the
reply.
"He read the message" she ex-
planned hastily, "and now he has
gone to decipher it."
She gathered up her trailingI
skirts over one arm, and togetherl
they glided away through thel
crowd to the strains of Strauss
waltz.
F0E"I'm ghng to faint in a mo-
ment." she said quite calmly tol
Mr.. Rankin. please have mel
sent to the ladies' dressing-room. /"
+4h II understand" he replied
quietly.
I'D CONTINUED Monday