gazing at him with
those wonderful blue-gray eyes, and an expression of--of--perhaps it was
admiration on her face.

"Are you sure?" she demanded, at last.

"I know it," was his response.

And just then Monsieur Rigolot, secretary of the embassy, thrust an
inquisitive head timidly around the corner of the stairs. The crash of
glass had aroused him.

"What happened?" he asked breathlessly.

"We don't know just yet," replied Mr. Grimm. "If the noise aroused any
one else please assure them that there's nothing the matter. And you
might inform Madame Boissegur that the ambassador will return home
to-morrow. Good night!"

At his hotel, when he reached there, Mr. Grimm found Miss Thorne's
card--and he drew a long breath; at his office he found another of her
cards, and he drew another long breath. He did like corroborative
details, did Mr. Grimm, and, of course, this--! On the following day
Miss Thorne accompanied him to Alexandria, and they were driven in a
closed carriage out toward the western edge of the city. Finally the
carriage stopped at a signal from Mr. Grimm, and he assisted Miss Thorne
out, after which he turned and spoke to some one remaining inside--a
man.

"The house is two blocks west, along that street there," he explained,
and he indicated an intersecting thoroughfare just ahead. "It is number
ninety-seven. Five minutes after we enter you will drive up in front of
the door and wait. If we don't return in fifteen minutes--come in after
us!"

"Do you anticipate danger?" Miss Thorne queried quickly.

"If I had anticipated danger," replied Mr. Grimm, "I should not have
permitted you to come with me."

They entered the house--number ninety-seven--with a key which Mr. Grimm
produced, and a minute or so later walked into a room where three men
were sitting. One of them was of a coarse, repulsive type, large and
heavy; another rather dapper, of superficial polish, evidently a
foreigner, and the third--the third was Ambassador Boissegur!

"Good morning, gentlemen!" Mr. Grimm greeted them, then ceremoniously:
"Monsieur Boissegur, your carriage is at the door."

The three men came to their feet instantly, and one of them--he of the
heavy face--drew a revolver. Mr. Grimm faced him placidly.

"Do you know what would happen to you if you killed me?" he inquired
pleasantly. "You wouldn't live three minutes. Do you imagine I came in
here blindly? There are a dozen men guarding the entrances to the
house--a