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 Señor 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 Señor 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