The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-05-20
II, / Ill USlI WIZ, BY jacques Futrelle
Copyright 1909 10 a Id III r
BY Bobbe-Merrl Co i - ~ lis IT, |

mo force was used in opening
the safe," Mr.. Grimm resumed. at
was unlocked. It's an old model
and l have demonstrated how it
could have been opened either
with the assistance of stetho-
scope, which catches the sound of
the tumbler in the lock, or by a
person of acute hearing"
Miss Thorne sat motionless,
waiting.
"All this means-what?" she
inquired, at length.
"I'll trouble you, please, to re-
turn the money" requested Mr..
Grimm courteously. mo reason
appears why you should have TAX
en- it. But I'm not seeking rea-
sons, nor am l seeking disagree
able publicity-only the money"
at seems to me you attach I'M
due Importance to the handker-
chief" she objected.
That's matter of opinion, -
Mr.. Grimm remarked. at would
be useless, even tedious, to at
tempt to disprove a burglar the.
DRY, but against it is the diff
Guilty of entrance, the weight OF
the gold, the ingenious method OF
opening the safe, and the assump-
tion that not more than six per-
sons knew the money was in the
safe; while a person in the house
might have learned it in any of q
dozen ways. And, in addition, is
the fact that the handkerchief is
odd, therefore noticeable. A lace
expert assures me there's proba-
bly, not another like it in the
world"
He stopped. Miss Thorne's eyes
sparkled and a smile seemed to be
Juggling at the corners of her
mouth. She spread out the hand
kerchief on her knees.
you could identify this again
of course?" she queried.
Eyes"
She thoughtfully crumpled UP
the bit of lace in both hands, then
opened them. There were two
handkerchiefs now-they were
identical.
(Which is it, please?" she
asked.
If Mr.. Grimm was disappoint-
ed there was not a trace of it on
his face. She laughed outright,
gleefully. mockingly, then, de-
murely:
Pardon me! You see, it's alb
surd. The handkerchief the but
Ter restored to me at dinner, after
/ lost one in the senor's office,
might have been either of these,
or one of ten other duplicates in
my room, all given to me by her
Maj l mean," she corrected
quickly, "by a friend in Europe. Z"
She was silent for a moment. "Is
that all?"
NO" replied Mr.. Grimm grave
ly, decisively. "I'm not satisfied.
I shall insist upon the return of
the money, and if it is not forth
coming | dare say Count di Rosi-
nj, the Italian ambassador, would
be pleased to give his personal
check rather than have the mat
ter become public" She started
to interrupt; he went on. "In
any event you will be requested to
leave the country"
Then, and not until then, a
decided change came over Miss
Thorne's face. A deeper color
leaped to her cheeks, the smile
faded from her lips, and there was
flash of uneasiness in her eyes.
But IL I am innocent?" she
protested.
you must prove it," continued
Mr.. Grimm mercilessly. Person
ally, 1 am convinced, and Count
oil Rosini has practically as
sured me that"
cts unjust!" she interrupted
passionately. tits = it's you
have proved nothing. It's I'M
heard of! It's beyond"
Suddenly she became silent. A
minute. two minutes, three min
utes passed; Mr.. Grimm waited
patiently.
''Will you give me time and op-
portunity to prove my inno-
cence?" she demanded finally.
And if I do convince you-Y
I should be delighted to be-
lieve that 1 have made a mistake"
Mr.. Grimm assured her. "How
much time? One day? Two
days?"
81 will let you know within an
hour at your office" she told him.
Mr.. Grimm rose.
"And meanwhile, in case of ac-
cident, shall look to Count di
Rosini for adjustment" he add
ed pointedly. Good morning."
One hour and ten minutes later
he received this note, unsigned:
CLOSED carriage will stop for
you at southeast corner of Penn
sylvania Avenue and Fourteenth
Street tonightgat one"
He was there; the carriage was
on time; and my lady of mystery
was inside. He stepped in an
they swung out into Pennsylvania
Avenue, noiselessly over the
asphalt.
SHOULD the gold be placed in !
your hands now. within the hour"
she queried solicitously, would |
1t be necessary for you to know
who was the-the theft"
ut would" Mr.. Grimm re-
gn0ndad wifouf haaftafior