ces now, as
they were at our previous meetings, are so unusual that--is it necessary
to go on?" There was a certain growing deference in his tone. "I wonder
if you account for Monsieur Boissegur's disappearance as I do?" he
inquired.

"I dare say," and Miss Thorne leaned toward him with sudden eagerness in
her manner and voice. "Your theory is--?" she questioned.

"If we believe the servants we know that Monsieur Boissegur did not go
out either by the front door or rear," Mr. Grimm explained. "That being
true the French window by which you entered seems to have been the way."

"Yes, yes," Miss Thorne interpolated. "And the circumstances attending
the disappearance? How do you account for the fact that he went,
evidently of his own will?"

"Precisely as you must account for it if you have studied the situation
here as I have," responded Mr. Grimm. "For instance, sitting at his desk
there"--and he turned to indicate it--"he could readily see out the
windows overlooking the street. There is only a narrow strip of lawn
between the house and the sidewalk. Now, if some one on the sidewalk,
or--or--"

"In a carriage?" promptly suggested Miss Thorne.

"Or in a carriage," Mr. Grimm supplemented, "had attracted his
attention--some one he knew--it is not at all unlikely that he rose, for
no apparent reason, as he did do, passed along the hall--"

"And through the French window, across the lawn to the carriage, and not
a person in the house would have seen him go out? Precisely! There seems
no doubt that was the way," she mused. "And, of course, he must have
entered the carriage of his own free will?"

"In other words, on some pretext or other, he was lured in, then made
prisoner, and--!"

He paused suddenly and his hand met Miss Thorne's warningly. The silence
of the night was broken by the violent clatter of footsteps, apparently
approaching the embassy. The noise was unmistakable--some one was
running.

"The window!" Miss Thorne whispered.

She rose quickly and started to cross the room, to look out; Mr. Grimm
sat motionless, listening. An instant later and there came a tremendous
crash of glass--the French window in the hallway by the sound--then
rapid footsteps, still running, along the hall. Mr. Grimm moved toward
the door unruffled, perfectly self-possessed; there was only a narrowing
of his eyes at the abruptness and clatter of it all. And then the
electric lights in the hall flashed up.

Before Mr. Grimm st