FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS Mr. Campbell was talking. "For several months past," he said, "the International Investment Company, through its representative, Mr. Cressy, has been secretly negotiating with Señor Rodriguez for certain asphalt properties in Venezuela. Three days ago these negotiations were successfully concluded, and yesterday afternoon Mr. Cressy, in secret, paid to Señor Rodriguez, fifty thousand dollars in American gold, the first of four payments of similar sums. This gold was to have been shipped to Philadelphia by express to-day to catch a steamer for Venezuela." Mr. Grimm nodded. "The fact that this gold was in Señor Rodriguez's possession could not have been known to more than half a dozen persons, as the negotiations throughout have been in strict secrecy," and Mr. Campbell smiled benignly. "So much! Now, Señor Rodriguez has just telephoned asking that I send a man to the legation at once. The gold was kept there over night; or perhaps I should say that the señor intended to keep it there over night." Mr. Campbell stared at Mr. Grimm for a moment, then: "Miss Thorne, you know, is a guest at the legation, that is why I am referring the matter to you." "I understand," said Mr. Grimm. And ten minutes later Mr. Grimm presented himself to Señor Rodriguez. The minister from Venezuela, bubbling with excitement, was pacing forth and back across his office, ruffling his gray-black hair with nervous, twining fingers. Mr. Grimm sat down. "Señor," he inquired placidly, "fifty thousand dollars in gold would weigh nearly two hundred pounds, wouldn't it?" Señor Rodriguez stared at him blankly. "Si, Señor," he agreed absently. And then, in English: "Yes, I should imagine so." "Well, was all of it stolen, or only a part of it?" Mr. Grimm went on. The minister gazed into the listless eyes for a time, then, apparently bewildered, walked forth and back across the room again. Finally he sat down. "All of it," he admitted. "I can't understand it. No one, not a soul in this house, except myself, knew it was here." "In addition to this weight of, say two hundred pounds, fifty thousand dollars would make considerable bulk," mused Mr. Grimm. "Very well! Therefore it would appear that the person, or persons, who got it must have gone away from here heavily laden?" Señor Rodriguez nodded. "And now, Señor," Mr. Grimm continued, "if you will kindly state the circumstances immediately preceding and following the theft?" A slight frown which had been growing upon the smooth brow of the diplomatist was instantly dissipated. "The money--fifty thousand dollars in gold coin--was paid to me yesterday afternoon about four o'clock," he began slowly, in explanation. "By Mr. Cressy of the International Investment Company," supplemented Mr. Grimm. "Yes. Go on." The diplomatist favored the young man with one sharp, inquiring glance, and continued: "The gentleman who paid the money remained here from four until nine o'clock while I, personally, counted it. As I counted it I placed it in canvas bags and when he had gone I took these bags from this room into that," he indicated a closed door to his right, "and personally stowed them away in the safe. I closed and locked the door of the safe myself; I know that it was locked. And that's all, except this morning the money was gone--every dollar of it." "Safe blown?" inquired Mr. Grimm. "No, Señor!" exclaimed the diplomatist with sudden violence. "No, the safe was not blown! It was closed and locked, exactly as I had left it!" Mr. Grimm was idly twisting the seal ring on his little finger. "Just as I left it!" Señor Rodriguez repeated excitedly. "Last night after I locked the safe door I tried it to make certain that it was locked. I happened to notice then that the pointer on the dial had stopped precisely at number forty-five. This morning, when I unlocked the safe--and, of course, I didn't know then that the money had been taken--the pointer was still at number forty-five." He paused with one hand in the air; Mr. Grimm continued to twist the seal ring. "It was all like--like some trick on the stage," the minister went on, "like the magician's disappearing lady, or--or--! It was as though I had not put the money into the safe at all!" "Did you?" inquired Mr. Grimm amiably. "Did I?" blazed Señor Rodriguez. "Why, Señor--! I did!" he concluded meekly. Mr. Grimm believed him. "Who else knows the combination of the safe?" he queried. "No one, Señor--not a living soul." "Your secretary, for instance?" "Not even my secretary." "Some servant--some member of your family?" "I tell you, Señor, not one person in all the world knew that combination except myself," Señor Rodriguez insisted. "Your secretary--a servant--some member of your family might have seen you unlock the safe some time, and thus learned the combination?" Señor Rodriguez did not quite know whether to be annoyed at Mr. Grimm's persistence, or to admire the tenacity with which he held to this one point. "You must understand, Señor Grimm, that many state documents are kept in the safe," he said finally, "therefore it is not advisable that any one should know the combination. I have made it an absolute rule, as did my predecessors here, never to unlock the safe in the presence of another person." "State documents!" Mr. Grimm's lips silently repeated the words. Then aloud: "Perhaps there's a record of the combination somewhere? If you had died suddenly, for instance, how would the safe have been opened?" "There would have been only one way, Señor--blow it open. There is no record." "Well, if we accept all that as true," observed Mr. Grimm musingly, "it would seem that you either didn't put the money into the safe at all, or--please sit down, there's nothing personal in this--or else the money was taken out of the safe without it being unlocked. This last would have been a miracle, and this is not the day of miracles, therefore--!" Mr. Grimm's well modulated voice trailed off into silence. Señor Rodriguez came to his feet with a blaze of anger in his eyes; Mr. Grimm was watching him curiously. "I understand then, Señor," said the minister deliberately, "that you believe that I--!" "I believe that you have told the truth," interrupted Mr. Grimm placidly, "that is the truth so far as you know it. But you have stated one thing in error. Somebody besides yourself does know the combination. Whether they knew it or not at this time yesterday I can't say, but somebody knows it now." Señor Rodriguez drew a deep breath of relief. The implied accusation had been withdrawn as pleasantly and frankly as it had been put forward. "I ran across a chap in New York once, for instance," Mr. Grimm took the trouble to explain, "who could unlock any safe--that is, any safe of the kind used at that time--twelve or fourteen years ago. So you see. I doubt if he would be so successful with the new models, with all their improvements, but then--! You know he would have made an ideal burglar, that chap. Now, Señor, who lives here in the legation with you?" "My secretary, Señor Diaz, my daughter Inez, and just at the moment, a Miss Thorne--Miss Isabel Thorne," the señor informed him. "Also four servants--two men and two women." "I've had the pleasure of meeting your daughter and Miss Thorne," Mr. Grimm informed him. "Now, suppose we take a look at the safe?" "Certainly." Señor Rodriguez started toward the closed door just as there came a timid knock from the hall. He glanced at Mr. Grimm, who nodded, then he called: "Come in!" The door opened, and Miss Thorne entered. She was clad in some filmy, gossamer-like morning gown with her radiant hair caught up on her white neck. At sight of Mr. Grimm the blue-gray eyes opened as if in surprise, and she paused irresolutely. "I beg your pardon, Señor," she said, addressing the diplomatist. "I did not know you were engaged. And Mr. Grimm!" She extended a slim, white hand, and the young man bowed low over it. "We are old friends," she explained, smilingly, to the minister. Then: "I think I must have dropped my handkerchief when I was in here yesterday with Inez. Perhaps you found it?" "Si, Señorita," replied Señor Rodriguez gallantly. "It is on my desk in here. Just a moment." He opened the door and passed into the adjoining room. Mr. Grimm's eyes met those of Miss Isabel Thorne, and there was no listlessness in them now, only interest. She smiled at him tauntingly and lowered her lids. Señor Rodriguez appeared from the other room with the handkerchief. "Mil gracias, Señor," she thanked him. "No hay de que, Señorita," he returned, as he opened the door for her. "Monsieur Grimm, au revoir!" She dropped a little curtsey, and still smiling, went out. "She is charming, Señor," the diplomatist assured him enthusiastically, albeit irrelevantly. "Such vivacity, such personality, such--such--she is charming." "The safe, please," Mr. Grimm reminded him.