The Tupelo journal., 1911-09-08
CHAPTER XII.
The Vanishing DipIomatist.

The Vanishing Diplomatist.
1t was three days after the ambas-
sador's disappearance that Monsieur
Rigolet, secretary OF the French en-
bassy and temporary charge-d'afaires,
reported the matter to Chief Camp
bell in the Secret Service Bureau, add
ing thereto a detailed statement of
several singular incidents following
close upon it. He told 1t in order,
concisely and to the point, while
Grimm and his chief listened.
Monsieur %Boissegur, the am5assa-
dor, you understand, Is q man whose
habits are remarkably regular he be-
gan. "He has made It q rule ~ be
at his desk every morning y ter
o'clock. and bet thet tin& kIsaI
one o'clock he 3ken $shiS 69kfes
spondence, and clears ID whatever
routine work there III before him. y
have known him for many years.
and have been secretary of the en-
bassy under him in Germany and
Japan and in this country. nave
never known him t o vary this general
order of work unless because OF lii
ness, or necessary absence.
well, Monsieur, last Tuesday-this
Is Friday-the ambassador was at his
desk as usual. He dictated a dozen
or more letters, and had begun anoth-
era private letter to his sister IN
Paris. He was well along In this let
ter when. without any apparent rea-
son, he rose from his desk and lett
the room, closing the door behind
him. His stenographer's impression
was that some detail of business had
occurred to him. and he had gone into
the general Office to attend to 1t. !
may say, Monsieur, that this impress
sion seemed Strengthened by the fact
that he left a fresh cigarette burning
In his ash tray, and his pen was be-
hind his ear. 1t was all as If he had
merely stepped out, intending to re-
turn immed;ately-the sort of thing,
Monsieur, that any man might have
done.
1T so happened that when he went
out he left a sentence OF his letter
incomplete. l tell you this to show
that the impulse to go must have been
a sudden one, yet there was nothing
in his manner, so his stenographer
Says. to indicate excitement, or any
| other than his usual frame of mind. 1t
was about five minutes of twelve
o'clock-high noon-when he went
out. When he didn't return immedi-
ately the stenographer began tran
scribing the letters. At n o'clock
Monsieur Boissegur still had not re-
turned and his stenographer went to
luncheon"
AS he talked. some inbred excite
ment seemed to be growing upon him
due, perhaps, to his recital of facts,
and he paused at last to regain con-
troll Of himself. Incidentally he won
dered II Mr.. Grimm was taking the
slightest interest in what he was say
ing. Certainly there was nothing in
his impassive face to Indicate it.
Understand, Monsieur" the secre-
tary continued after q moment. that
l knew nothing whatever OF oil this
until late that afternoon-that Is,
Tuesday afternoon about Ave o'clock.
| was engaged all day upon some i'm
portant work In my Office, and had
had no occasion to see Monsieur Bots.
] segur since a word or so when he
came in at ten O'Clock. My attention
was called to the affair finally by his
stenographer. Monsieur N~etterville,
who came to me for instructions. He
had finished the letters and the am
bassador had not returned to sign
them. At this point ! began an in
v~estigation, Monsieur, and the further
went the more uneasy ! grew.
Now. Monsieur. there are Only two
entrances to the e-mbassy-the front
door, where q servant 10 in constant