The Harrison times., 1912-01-06

he has no fortune. This girl moves
in a certain set devoted to bridge, and
stakes are high, She played and won
and played and won, and on and on
until her winnings were about elsht
thousand dollars. Then luck turned
She began to lose. Her money went
but she continued to play desperately
Finally some old family jewels were
pawned without her fathers knoWl'
edge, and ultimately they were lost'
One day she awoke to the fact that
she owed some nine or ten thousand
dollars In bridge debts They were
pressing and there was no way TO
meet them. This meant exposure ana
utter ruin, and women do strange
things, Mr. Grimm, to postpone such
an ending to social aspirations |
know this much is true, for she re-
lated It all to me herself,
AT last, in some way-a misplaced
letter, perhaps, or word overheard
she learned that fifty thousand dollars
would be in the legation bank over
night, and evidently she learned the
precise night" She paused a moment
Here is the address Of man In Bal
tlmore, Thomas @, Griswold," and she
passed a card to Mr. Grimm, who sat
mouonless, listening About four
years ago the combination on the lega'
tion safe was changed. This man was
sent hero to make the change, there
fore some one besides Senior Rodriguez
does know the combination, ! have
communicated with this man today
for I saw tho possibility Of Just such
a thing as this instead Of your stein
oscopo. BY a trick and forged let
ter this gir obtained tho combination
from this man.
Mr., Grimm drew long breath
"She intended to take, perhaps, only
what she desperately ueeded-but at
sight Of It aldo you sec what must
have been the temptation then? We
get out here"
There were many unanswered cues
tions in Mr., Grimm's mind, lie re-
pressed them for the time, stepped out
and assisted Miss Thorne to alight
Tho carriage had turned out OF Penn
sy!vnnia Avenue, and at tho moment
he didn't quite place himself, A mar
row paggagoway opened before them
evidently tho rear entrance TO n
house possibly in the next street MISS
Thorne led the way unhesitatngly
unlocked the door, and to-
gethcr they entered q hall, Then
there was short flight Of stairs, and
they stepped into room, one OF
suite She closed the door and turned
on the lights,
"The bags Of gold are in tho next
ROOM" she said with the utmost com
posure,
Mr.. Grimm dragged them out Of q
dark closet, opened one-there were
ten--and allowed the coins to dribblo
through his fingers, Finally he turned
and stared at Miss Thorne, who, pal
lid and weary, stood looking on,
"Whore are we?" he asked, What
house Is this?'
"The Venezuelan legation" she an
swored, "Wo are standing less than
forty feet from tho safo that was
robbed You sec how easy"
"And whose room?" inquired Mr.
Grimm slowly,
Must answer" sho asked appeal
ingly
"You must"
"senorIta RodrIguez--my hostossI
Don't you see what you've made me
do? She and Mr. Cadwalloder mado
the trip to Baltimore IN his outomo'
bile, and" She stopped, "Ho
knows nothing Of IT," she added,
eyes, know" said Mr. Grimm,
lie stood looking at her IN silence
for moment, staring deeply into tho
pleading eyes, and certain tense OK
preston about his lips passed, For
an instant her hand trembled on his
arm, and he caught the fragrance OF
her hair
"Whcro is she now2" he asked,
"Ploying bridge replied Miss
Thomc, with n sad little smile, ut Ia
always so=at least twice week, and
she rarely returns before two or half
past" She extended both hands Inn
potuously "Pleusc be generous, Mr.
Grimm, You have tho gold; don't do
stroy her"
Sonor Rodriguez, the minister from
found the gold In his safe
on the following morning, with q brief
note from Mr. Grimm, In which thoro
was no explanation Of how or whore It
had been found , And two
hours later Monsieur Bolssegur ann
bass0dor from France to the United
States, disappeared from the embassy
CHAPTER XII,