such a charge would impel me to offer her every
assistance."

Mr. Grimm nodded.

"And if it were proved to your satisfaction that she _did_ shoot him?"
he went on evenly.

The count's lips were drawn together in a straight line.

"Whom, may I ask," he inquired frigidly, "are we supposing that Miss
Thorne shot?"

"No one, particularly," Mr. Grimm assured him easily. "Just suppose
that she _had_ shot anybody--me, say, or Senor Alvarez?"

"I can't answer a question so ridiculous as that."

"And suppose we go a little further," Mr. Grimm insisted pleasantly,
"and assume that you _knew_ she _had_ shot some one, say Senor Alvarez,
and you _could_ protect her from the consequences, _would_ you?"

"I decline to suppose anything so utterly absurd," was the rejoinder.

Mr. Grimm sat with his elbows on his knees, idly twisting a seal ring on
his little finger. The searching eyes of the ambassador found his face
blankly inscrutable.

"Diplomatic representatives in Washington have certain obligations to
this government," the young man reminded him. "We--that is, the
government of the United States--undertake to guarantee the personal
safety of every accredited representative; in return for that
protection we must insist upon the name and identity of a dangerous
person who may be known to any foreign representative. Understand,
please, I'm not asserting that Miss Thorne is a dangerous person. You
are sponsor for her here. Is she, in every way, worthy of your
protection?"

"Yes," said the ambassador flatly.

"I can take it, then, that the introduction she brought to you is from a
person whose position is high enough to insure Miss Thorne's position?"

"That is correct."

"Very well!"

And Mr. Grimm went away.

VI

REVELATIONS

Some vague, indefinable shadow darkened Miss Thorne's clear, blue-gray
eyes, in sharp contrast to the glow of radiant health in her cheeks, as
she stepped from an automobile in front of the Venezuelan legation, and
ran lightly up the steps. A liveried servant opened the door.

"A gentleman is waiting for you, Madam," he announced. "His card is here
on the--"

"I was expecting him," she interrupted.

"Which room, please?"

"The blue room, Madam."

Miss Thorne passed along the hallway which led to a suite of small
drawing-rooms opening on a garden in the rear, pushed aside the
portieres, and entered.

"I'm sorry I've kept you--" she began, and then, in a tone of surprise: