Elusive Isabel

card index, a governmental ready reference posted to the minute and backed by all the tremendous resources of a nation. From the little office in the Secret Service Bureau,

here than any other man living; and no man realized more

ttle beyond middle age, pleasant of face, white of hair, and blessed with guileless blue eyes. His genius had no sparkle to it; it consisted solely of detail and system

was an utterly different type from his chief. He was younger, perhaps thirty-one or two, physically well proportioned, a little above the average height, with regular features and listless

took intelligible form upon a sheet of paper under his right hand. Mr. Grimm, looking on, exhibited only a most perfunctory interest in the extraordinary message he was read

Portugal, and may be accepted. Special envoys now working in Mexico and Central and South America. Germany invited to join, but refuses as yet, giving, however, tacit support; attitude of Russia and Japan unknown to me. Prince Benede

commented M

steadfast, thoughtful eyes into the impassive face of his subordinate. Mr. Grimm perched himself

other man than Gault had sent that

last. "It had to come, of course, the United States and England against a larg

nd picked up the receive

if he will receive Mr. Campbell immediately. Yes, Mr. Campbell of the Secret Service." There was a pause.

ed forward and studied a paragraph of it closely. When he raised his eyes again ther

aken separately, are inconsequential, and that is true, too, of the Latin countries of Europe, except France, but taken in combination, under one directin

ened his lips to ask a question: Mr.

e it, because they are the practical peoples. They have given to the world all its great practical inventions-the railroad, the steamship, electricity, the telegraph and cable-all of them; they are the great civilizing forces, rounding the world up to new moral understanding, for what England has done in Africa and India we have done i

t day has been foreseen; that there is now a resentment which is about to find expression in one great, desperate struggle for world supremacy. A few hundred years ago Italy-or Rome-was stripped of her power; only recently the United States dispelled the illusion that

the window, where he stood for a mom

a French boy will paint a picture on it, an English boy will built a sail-boat, and a

to the material matter in hand. Mr. Grimm p

now that the signing of that compact can be prevented, but the signing of

itude of such a task made, apparently, not the slighte

scertain the attitude of Russian and J

rimm

Washington, nor the United States, for that matter. Naturally, on such a mission, he would not

" Mr. Grimm

d avoid the

tain

ught himself wondering, sometimes, at the perfection of the deliberate indifference with which Mr. Grimm masked his emoti

remarked, after a time. "What

. Grimm picked up the Almanac de Gotha and glanced at the open page. "Of course, the first thing to do is