Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-08-18
CHAPTER III.-(continued.)

Senorita Rodriguez laughed, and Mr.
Grimm glanced idly toward Miss
Thorne. She was still talking, her
face alive with interest: and the fan
was still tapping rhythmically, stead
fly, now on the arm of her chair.
'Dot-dash- dot! Dot-dash-dot! Dot
dash-dot! Dot-dash-dot!"
Pretty women who don't want to
be stared at should go with their faces
swathed," Mr.. Grimm suggested. indo-
lently. "Haroun ell Raschid there
would agree with me on that point. l
have no doubt. What a shock he
would get If he should happen up at
Atlantic City for a weekend in Au-
gust!"
"Dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash-dot! Dot
dash-dot!"
Mr.. Grimm read 1t with perfect un-
derstanding; It was "F-F-F"' in the
Morse code, the call of one operator
to another. Was 1t accident? Mr..
Grimm wondered, and wondering. he
went on talking lazily:
Curious, isn't It. the smaller the ma
tion the more color it crowds into the
uniforms of its diplomats? The Brit
fish ambassador, you will observe. is
clothed sanely and modestly, as befits
0the representative of a great nation; {;
but coming on down by way of Spain
and Italy, they get more gorgeous.
However. ] dare say as stout heart
beats beneath a sky-blue sash as be-
hind the embellished black of evening
dress"
"F-F-F," the fan was calling in
sistently.
And then the answer came. 1t took
the Unexpectedly prosaic form of vio-
lent sneeze. a vociferous outburst in a
bench directly behind Mr.. Grimm.
senorita Rodriguez jumped. then
laughed, nervously.
TT startled me-" she explained.
II think there must be a draft from
the conservatory" said mans voice
apologetically. DO you ladies feel it?
No? Well. II you'll excuse me-?'
Mr.. Grimm glanced back languidly.
Tho speaker was Charles Winthrop
Rankin, brilliant young American
lawyer who was attached to the Ger
man embassy in an advisory capacity.
Among other things he was Heidel-
berg man, having spent some dozen
years of his life in Germany, where
he established influential connections.
Mr.. Grimm knew him only by sight.
And now the rhythmical tapping of
Miss Thorne's fan underwent a
change. There was a fiutter of gaiety
in her voice the while the ivory fan
tapped steadily.
"Dot-dot-dot, Dash, Dash-dash-
dash! Dot-dot-dash, Dash,'
IT, r,.ft, n
Ybrse. He laughed pleasantly at
sAe remark of his companion.
ODash-dash! Dot-dash! Dash-dot!
said the fan.
"M-a-n." Mr.. Grimm spelled it
out, the while his listless eyes roved
simlessly over the throng. "S-t-5-
Ut m-a-ni" Was 1t meant for
stout mani" Mr.. Grimm wondered.
"Dot-dash-dot! Dot, Dash-dot-dot!
"F-e-d." that was.
"Dot-dot-dash-dot! Dot-dash, Dash
dot-dash-dot! Dotl"
"Q-a-l-e!" Mr.. Grimm was
puzzled little now, but there was not
a wrinkle, nor the tiniest indication of
perplexity in his face. Instead he be-
gan talking of Raphaels cherubs. the
high complexion of young man who
was passing. Miss Thorne glanced at
him keenly. her splendid eyes fairly
aglow, and the fan ratified on in the
code.
"Dash-dot! Dot, Dot dash! Dot
dash-dot!"
.N-e-a-f" Mr.. Grimm was still
spelling 1t out.
Then came perfect tumble. Mr..
Grimm followed 1t with difficulty, a
difficulty utterly belied by the quizzi-
cal lines about his mouth. As he
caught 1t, 1t was like this: "J-5-n-
s-e-f-v-a-t-5 followed by
an arbitrary 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 unknown signal.
.D-5-5-f," he read. and then. on
4 % the end:: "B-f-i-n-E 5-v-e-
w-h-e--n g-5-e-s."