Elusive Isabel

bell was

t properties in Venezuela. Three days ago these negotiations were successfully concluded, and yesterday afternoon Mr. Cressy, in secret, paid to Se?or Rodriguez, fifty thousand dollars

pbell smiled benignly. "So much! Now, Se?or Rodriguez has just telephoned asking that I send a man to the legation at once. The gold was kept there over night; or perhaps I should say that the s

and," said

from Venezuela, bubbling with excitement, was pacing forth and back across his offi

thousand dollars in gold would weigh n

uez stared a

ntly. And then, in English:

olen, or only a part of

ime, then, apparently bewildered, walked forth an

rstand it. No one, not a soul in this h

d make considerable bulk," mused Mr. Grimm. "Very well! Therefore it would appear t

odrigue

you will kindly state the circumstances imm

ing upon the smooth brow of the di

n-was paid to me yesterday afternoon about fo

onal Investment Company," suppl

young man with one sharp, in

and when he had gone I took these bags from this room into that," he indicated a closed door to his right, "and personally stowed them away in the safe

?" inquired

den violence. "No, the safe was not blown! It w

isting the seal ring

it was locked. I happened to notice then that the pointer on the dial had stopped precisely at number forty-five. This morning, wh

the air; Mr. Grimm contin

went on, "like the magician's disappearing lady, or-or-! It

nquired Mr.

riguez. "Why, Se?or-! I d

mm beli

combination of the

?or-not a l

etary, for

n my sec

some member of

all the world knew that combination ex

r family might have seen you unlock the safe

annoyed at Mr. Grimm's persistence, or to admire

y, "therefore it is not advisable that any one should know the combination. I have made it an abso

aloud: "Perhaps there's a record of the combination somewhere? If you

ly one way, Se?or-blow it

ey into the safe at all, or-please sit down, there's nothing personal in this-or else the money was taken out of the

nce. Se?or Rodriguez came to his feet with a blaze of

aid the minister deliberately

as you know it. But you have stated one thing in error. Somebody besides yourself does know the comb

he implied accusation had been withdrawn as ple

f the kind used at that time-twelve or fourteen years ago. So you see. I doubt if he would be so successful with the new models, with all t

the moment, a Miss Thorne-Miss Isabel Thorne," the se?or

ter and Miss Thorne," Mr. Grimm informed him

tain

st as there came a timid knock from the hall. He

me

ke morning gown with her radiant hair caught up on her white neck. At sight of Mr

xtended a slim, white hand, and the young man bowed low over it. "We are old friends," she explained, smilingly, to the m

odriguez gallantly. "It is on m

bel Thorne, and there was no listlessness in them now, only interest. She smiled at him taunt

, Se?or," sh

a," he returned, as he

She dropped a little curtsey,

im enthusiastically, albeit irrelevantly. "Such viv

ase," Mr. Grim