The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1912-02-03
CHAPTER xxIv.-(continued.)

Il personally caused the destruc-
ton of the compact after several sig
natures had been attached" Mr.
Grimm amended. Throughout have
acted under the direction of Mr..
Campbell, of course
You were in very grave personal
Danger" the president went on.
at was of no consequence" said
Mr.. Grimm simply.
You are certain, Mr.. Grimm and
the president spoke with great de
liberation, you are certain that the
representatives of the Latin countries
have not met since and signed the
compact"
Il am not certain-no," replied Mr..
Grimm promptly. Il am certain, how
ever, that the backbone of the alliance
was broken-its only excuse for ex-
fstence INSTRUMENTATION they per-
mttted me to, learn of the wireless
percussion cap which would have
placed the navies of the world at their
mercy. Believe me. gentlemen, if
they had kept their secret it would
have given them dominion of the
earth. They made one mistake" he
added in a most matter-of-fact tone
They should have killed me; it was
their only chance"
The president seemed a little star
tied at the suggestion
THAT would have been murder" he
remarked.
True Mr. Grimm asquiesced, but
1t seems an absurd thing that they
should have permitted the life of one
man to stand between them and the
world power for which they had so
long planned and schemed His High
ness, Prince Benedetto d'Abruzzf be-
Heved as l do, and so expressed him
self. He paused a moment; there
was hint of surprise in his manner.
i expected to be killed, of course. 1t
seemed to me the only thing that
could happen"
They must have known of the far
reaching consequences which would
follow upon your escape, Mr.. Grimm.
Why didn't they kill you?"
Mr.. Grimm made a little gesture
with both hands and was silent.
May they not yet attempt it?" the
president insisteds
ITS too late now" Mr.. Grimm ex-
RAS@-AO0' hCy noO everything 10
gain by killing me there as stood in
the room where l had interrupted the
signing of the compact, because that
would have been before l had placed
the facts in the hands of my govern
ment. I was the only person outside
of their circle who knew all of them.
Only the basest motive could inspire
J them to attempt my life now"
There was pause. The secretary
Of state glanced from Mr.. Grimm to
lzr. Campbell with a question in his
deep-set eyes.
DO understand that you placed a
/ Miss Thorne and the prince under
that is, you detained them he
Querfed- IF so. where are they now ?''
Il don't know" was the reply. Just
{ before the explosion the three of us
entered an automobile together, and
! then as we were starting away l re-
membered something which made 1t
necessary for me to re-enter the
house. When l came out again, just a
few, seconds before the explosion, the
prince and Miss Thorne had gone"
The secretary's lips curled down in
disapproval.
Wasn't it rather unsuaI, to put it
mildly, to leave your prisoners to
their own devices that way?" he
asked
We'll. yes" Mr.. Grimm admitted.
But the circumstances were unusual.
When l entered the house had lock-
ed a man In the cellar. I had to go
back to save his life. otherwise"
"oh, the guard at the door, you
mean?" came the interruption Who
was it?,
Mr.. Grimm glanced at his chief. who
nodded.
at was Mr.. Charles Winthrop Ran
kin of the German embassy" said the
young man.
Mr.. Rankin OF the German embas-
sy was on guard at the door?" de-
manded the president quickly.
YES. We got out safely"
"And that means that Germany
was"
The president paused and startled
chances passed around the table Aft
er moment Of deep abstraction the
secretary went on:
so Miss Thorne and the prince es-
capped. Are they still In this coun-
sryT