The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-05-16
A Visit to the Count.

Campbell's face was disturbed byl
thin, spidery lines of perplexity,
and the guileless blue eyes were
vacant as he stared at the top of
his desk. Mr.. Grimm was talk
ing.
From the moment Miss Thorne
turned the corner l lost all trace
of her." he said. Either she had
an automobile in waiting, or else
she was lucky enough to find one
Immediately she came out. She
did not return to the embassy ball
last night--that much is certain"
He paused reflectively. she is a
guest of Senorita Inez Rodriguez
at the Venezuelan legation" he
added.
Yes. l know" his chief nodded.
IL didn't attempt to see her
there last night for two reasons,
Mr.. Grimm continued. First.
she can have no possible knowl-
edge of the fact that she is sus-
pected. unless perhaps the man
who slammed the door" HeI
paused. Anyway. she win not
attempt to leave Washington: II
am confident of that. Again, i'll
didn't seem wise to me to employ
the ordinary crude police methods
IN the ease-that is. 60 to the
Venezuelan legation and kick up a
row"
For a long time Campbell was
silent; the perplexed lines still
furrowed his benevolent forehead.
THE president is very anxious
that We get to facts-in this report
ed Latin alliance as soon as pos.
.sible," he said at last, irrele-
vanity. HE mentioned the mat
ter last night, and he has been
Keeping in constant eommunioa-
ton with Gault, in Lisbon, who,
however, has not been able to add
materially to the original dis
patch. Under all the circum-
STANCES DON'T you think it would
be best for me to relieve you of
the investigation of this shooting
affair SO that you can concen-
trate on this greater and more i'm
portant thing?"
"Will Senior Alvarez die?" ask
ed Mr.. Grimm in turn.
His condition is serious, al
though the wound is not necessar-
lily fatal" was the reply.
Mr.. Grimm arose, stretched
his long legs and stood for a lit
tie while gazing out the window.
Finally he turned to his chief:
What do we know, here in the
bureau, about Miss Thorne?"
THUS far the reports on her
are of the usual perfunctory ma
ture," Mr.. Campbell explained.
He drew a card from a pigeonholeI
of his desk and glanced at it. "She
arrived in Washington two weeks
and two days ago from New York,
off the Lusitania, from Liverpool.
She brought some sort of an in
PRODUCTION to Count di Rosini, the
Italian ambassador, and he OBJ
tanned for her a special invita-
ton to the state ball, which was
held that night. Until four days
ago she was guest at the ItalianI
but now. as you know,
Is guest at the Venezuelan lega-
ton. Since her arrival here she
has bee prominently pushed for
ward into society; she has gone
everywhere, and been received
in the diplomatic set.
We have no knowledge of her be-
yond this"
There was q question in Mr.. |
Grimm's listless eyes as they met
those of his chief. The same line
of thought was running in both
their minds, born, perhaps, of the
of ideas-Italy as one
of three great nations known to
be in the Latin compact; Prince
Benedotte d'Abruzzi, of Italy, the
secret envoy of three countries;
the sudden appearance of Miss
Thorne at the Italian embassy.
And In the mind of the younger
man there was more than this
p definite knowledge of a message
transmitted to Mr.. Ran
kin, of the German embassy. by
Miss Thorne there in the ball
room.
"Can you imagine" he asked |
slowly, "can you imagine a per-
son who would be OF more value
to the Latin governments in
right at this stage of
the negofiationss than q brilliant
wpman agent?" II
Ell most certainly can not" was
the chiefs nnhesitatingly re-
sponses
lin that case don't think 1t
would be wise to transfer the in
OF the shooting aft
fair to another man. said Mr..
Grimm emphatically, reverting to H
his chiefs question. Il think, onI
the contrary. we should find nutl
more about Miss Thorne..
Precisely" Campboll agreed.
Ask all the great capitals
about her Madrid. Paris AMI /
Rome. particularly: .han. perhaps.
London and Berlin and st. Peters
burg"
Mr.. Campbell thoughtfuIsvl
scribbled the names Of thu eities