<h3> MASTER OF THE SITUATION </h3>
<p> </p>
<p>As the women rose and started out, leaving
the gentlemen over their coffee and
cigars, Miss Thorne paused at the door
and the blue-gray eyes flashed some subtle message
to the French ambassador who, after an
instant, nodded comprehendingly, then resumed
his conversation. As he left the room a few
minutes later he noticed that Mr. Grimm had
joined a group of automaniacs of which Mr.
Cadwallader was the enthusiastic center. He
spoke to his hostess, the wife of the minister
from Portugal, for a moment, then went to Miss
Thorne and dropped into a seat beside her. She
greeted him with a smile and was still smiling
as she talked.</p>
<p>"I believe, Monsieur," she said in French,
"you sent a code message to the cable office this
afternoon?"</p>
<p>His eyes questioned hers quickly.</p>
<p>"And please bear in mind that we probably
are being watched as we talk," she went on
pleasantly. "Mr. Grimm is the man to be afraid
of. Smile—don't look so serious!" She laughed
outright.</p>
<p>"Yes, I sent a code message," he replied.</p>
<p>"It was your resignation?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"Well, it wasn't sent, of course," she informed
him, and her eyes were sparkling as if something
amusing had been said. "One of my agents
stopped it. I may add that it will not be sent."</p>
<p>The ambassador's eyes grew steely, then
blank again.</p>
<p>"Mademoiselle, what am I to understand from
that?" he demanded.</p>
<p>"You are to understand that I am absolute
master of the situation in Washington at this
moment," she replied positively. The smile on
her lips and the tone of her voice were strangely
at variance. "From the beginning I let you understand
that ultimately you would receive your
instructions from Paris; now I know they will
reach you by cable to-morrow. Within a week
the compact will be signed. Whether you approve
of it or not it will be signed for your
country by a special envoy whose authority is
greater than yours—his Highness, the Prince
Benedetto d'Abruzzi."</p>
<p>"Has he reached Washington?"</p>
<p>"He is in Washington. He has been here for
some time, incognito." She was silent a moment.
"You have been a source of danger to our
plans," she added. "If it had not been for an
accident you would still have been comfortably
kept out in Alexandria where Mr. Grimm and I
found you. Please remember, Monsieur, that
we will accomplish what we set out to do. Nothing
can stop us—nothing."</p>
<p>At just about the same moment the name of
Prince d'Abruzzi had been used in the dining-room,
but in a different connection. Mr. Cadwallader
was reciting some incident of an automobile
trip in Italy when he had been connected
with the British embassy there.</p>
<p>"The prince was driving," he said, "and one
of the best I ever saw. Corking chap, the
prince; democratic, you know, and all that sort
of thing. He was one scion of royalty who
didn't mind soiling his hands by diving in under
a car and fixing it himself. At that time he
was inclined to be wild—that was eight or nine
years ago—but they say now he has settled
down to work, and is one of the real diplomatic
powers of Italy. I haven't seen him for a half
dozen years."</p>
<p>"How old a man is he?" asked Mr. Grimm
carelessly.</p>
<p>"Thirty-five, thirty-eight, perhaps; I don't
know," replied Mr. Cadwallader. "It's odd, you
know, the number of princes and blue-bloods
and all that sort of thing one can find knocking
about in Italy and Germany and Spain. One
never hears of half of them. I never had heard
of the Prince d'Abruzzi until I went to Italy,
and I've heard jolly well little of him since, except
indirectly."</p>
<p>Mr. Cadwallader lapsed into silence as he sat
staring at a large group photograph which
was framed on a wall of the dining-room.</p>
<p>"Isn't that the royal family of Italy?" he
asked. He rose and went over to it. "By Jove,
it is, and here is the prince in the group. The
picture was taken, I should say, about the time I
knew him."</p>
<p>Mr. Grimm strolled over idly and stood for a
long time staring at the photograph.</p>
<p>"He can drive a motor, you know," said Mr.
Cadwallader admiringly. "And Italy is the
place to drive them. They forgot to make any
speed laws over there, and if a chap gets in your
way and you knock him silly they arrest him
for obstructing traffic, you know. Over here if
a chap really starts to go any place in a hurry
some bally idiot holds him up."</p>
<p>"Have you ever been held up?" queried Mr.
Grimm.</p>
<p>"No, but I expect to be every day," was the
reply. "I've got a new motor, you know, and
I've never been able to see how fast it is. The
other evening I ran up to Baltimore with it in
an hour and thirty-seven minutes from Alexandria
to Druid Hill Park, and that's better than
forty miles. I never did let the motor out, you
know, because we ran in the dark most of the
way."</p>
<p>Mr. Grimm was still gazing at the photograph.</p>
<p>"Did you go alone?" he asked.</p>
<p>"There's no fun motoring alone, you know.
Señorita Rodriguez was with me. Charming
girl, what?"</p>
<p>A little while later Mr. Grimm sauntered out
into the drawing-room and made his way toward
Miss Thorne and the French ambassador. Monsieur
Boisségur rose, and offered his hand cordially.</p>
<p>"I hope, Monsieur," said Mr. Grimm, "that
you are no worse off for your—your unpleasant
experience?"</p>
<p>"Not at all, thanks to you," was the reply.
"I have just thanked Miss Thorne for her part
in the affair, and—"</p>
<p>"I'm glad to have been of service," interrupted
Mr. Grimm lightly.</p>
<p>The ambassador bowed ceremoniously and
moved away. Mr. Grimm dropped into the seat
he had just left.</p>
<p>"You've left the legation, haven't you?" he
asked.</p>
<p>"You drove me out," she laughed.</p>
<p>"Drove you out?" he repeated. "Drove you
out?"</p>
<p>"Why, it was not only uncomfortable, but it
was rather conspicuous because of the constant
espionage of your Mr. Blair and your Mr.
Johnson and your Mr. Hastings," she explained,
still laughing. "So I have moved to
the Hotel Hilliard."</p>
<p>Mr. Grimm was twisting the seal ring on his
little finger.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry if I've made it uncomfortable for
you," he apologized. "You see it's necessary
to—"</p>
<p>"No explanation," Miss Thorne interrupted.
"I understand."</p>
<p>"I'm glad you do," he replied seriously.
"How long do you intend to remain in the city?"</p>
<p>"Really I don't know—two, three, four weeks,
perhaps. Why?"</p>
<p>"I was just wondering."</p>
<p>Señorita Rodriguez came toward them.</p>
<p>"We're going to play bridge," she said, "and
we need you, Isabel, to make the four. Come.
I hate to take her away, Mr. Grimm."</p>
<p>Mr. Grimm and Miss Thorne rose together.
For an instant her slim white hand rested on
Mr. Grimm's sleeve and she stared into his eyes
understandingly with a little of melancholy in
her own. They left Mr. Grimm there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<SPAN name="CH16"><!-- CHAPTER 16 --></SPAN>
<h3> XVI </h3>
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