The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-05-14

II
1T means that / am to deal
with the royal blood of Italy" was
the unhesitating response. Mr.
Grimm picked up the Almanac de
Gotha and glanced at the open
page. '-Of course, the first thing
to do is to find him; the rest will
be simple enough" He perused
the page carelessly. 81 will begin
work at once"
III.
The Language OF the Fan.
Mr.. Grimm was chatting idly
with Senorita Rodriguez, daughter
of the minister from Venezuela,
the while he permitted his listless
eyes to wander aimlessly about the
spacious ballroom of the German
embassy, ablaze with festooned
lights, and brilliant with multi
colored chaos of uniforms. CLEAN
ing pearl-white, translucent in the
mass, were the bare shoulders OF
women; and from far off came the
plaintiff whine of an orchestra, a
pulsing sense rather than a living
sound. of music, pointed here and
there by the staccato cry of a flute.
A zephyr, perfumed with the
clean, fresh odor of lilacs, stirred
the draperies of the archway
which led into the conservatory
and rustled the bending branches
of palms and ferns.
For a scant instant Mr.. Grimm &
eyes rested on a young woman
who sat q dozen feet away, talk
ling, in playful animation, with an
undersecretary of the British en-
bassy-a young woman severely
gowned in some glistening stuff
(which fell away sheeriy from her
splendid bare shoulders. She
glanced up, as IL in acknowledge
ment of his look, and her eyes met
his. Frank. blue-gray eyes they
were, stirred to their depths now
lby amusement. She smiled al
Senorita Rodriguez, in token OF
recognition.
Aren't they wonderfully" asked
lSenorita Rodriguez with the quick
bubbling enthusiasm of her race
"What?" asked Mr.. Grimm,
! Her eyes," was the reply. ''Ev.
lery person has one dominant fea.
lture-with Miss Thorne it is hel
eyes."
"Miss Thorne?" Mr.. Grimm re
lpeated.
| Haven't you met herr" the
lsenorita went ON. mis- Isabe
IThorne? She only arrived a few
days ago-the night of the state
hall. She's my guest at the legal
ltion. When an opportunity
comes 1 shall present you to her.
She ran on, about other things
with only an occasional remari
from Mr.. Grimm, who wai
thoughtfully nursing his knee
Somewhere through the chatter
land effervescent gaiety, min
lgling with the sound of the pulls
ing music, he had a singular i'm.
lpression of a rhythmical beat, al
indistinct tattoo, noticeable, per.
haps, only because of its monot.
ony. After a moment he shot q
quick glance at Miss Thorne and
understood; 1t was the tapping oil
an exquisitely wrought ivory fan
against one of her tapering, gloved
fingers. She was talking and
Smiling.
"Dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash-dot!
Dot-dash-dot." said the fan.
Mr.. Grimm twisted around in
his seat and RECALLED his listless
eyes with long stare into the
senorita's pretty face. Behind the
careless ease of repose he was
mechanically isolating the faint
CHATTER of the fan.
'Dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash-dot!
Dot-dash-dot!"
Ibid anyone ever accuse you OF
staring, Mr.. Grimm" demanded
the senorita banteringly.
For an instant Mr.. Grimm con-
tinued to stare, and then his list
less eyes swept the ballroom,
pausing invoiuntarily at the scar
let splendor of the minister from
Turkey.
81 beg your pardon" he apollo
gized contritely. There was a
pause. THE minister from Tur-
key looks like a barn ON fire,
doesn't he?"
Senorita Rodriguez laughed,
and Mr.. Grimm glanced idly to-
ward Miss Thorne. She was still
talking, her face alive with inter-
est; and the fan was still tapping
rhythmically. steadily, now on the
arm Of her chair.
| "Dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash-doti
Dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash-doti"
Pretty women who don't want
to be stared at should go with
their faces swathed." Mr.. Grimm
suggested indolently. "Haronn ell
Rasehid there would agree with
me on that point, ! have no doubt.
What a shock he would get IL he
SHOULD happen up at Atlantic City