Elusive Isabel eBook

Jacques Futrelle
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 157 pages of information about Elusive Isabel.

Elusive Isabel eBook

Jacques Futrelle
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 157 pages of information about Elusive Isabel.

“I have no choice in the matter, Mr. Grimm,” he said at last.  “I shall have to put it to my client, of course.  Can you give me, say, half an hour to communicate with him?”

“Certainly,” and Mr. Grimm rose obligingly.  “Shall I wait outside here or call again?”

“You may wait if you don’t mind,” said Mr. Howard.  “I’ll be able to let you know in a few minutes, I hope.”

Mr. Grimm bowed and passed out.  At the end of twenty-five minutes the door of Mr. Howard’s private office opened and he appeared.  His face was violently red, evidently from anger, and perspiration stood on his forehead.

“I can’t do anything with him,” he declared savagely.  “He says simply that negotiations must be conducted through me or not at all.”

Mr. Grimm had risen; he bowed courteously.

“Very well,” he said placidly.  “You understand, of course, as the note says, that this refusal of his terminates the negotiations, so—­”

“But just a moment—­” interposed Mr. Howard quickly.

“Good day,” said Mr. Grimm.

The door opened and closed; he was gone.  Three minutes later he stepped into a telephone booth at a near-by corner and took down the receiver.

“Hello, central!” he called, and then:  “This is Mr. Grimm of the Secret Service.  What number was Mr. Howard talking to?”

“Eleven double-nought six, Alexandria,” was the reply.

“Where is the connection?  In whose name?”

“The connection is five miles out from Alexandria in a farm-house on the old Baltimore Road,” came the crisp, business-like answer.  “The name is Murdock Williams.”

“Thank you,” said Mr. Grimm.  “Good-by.”

A moment later he was standing by the curb waiting for a car, when Howard, still angry, and with an expression of deep chagrin on his face, came bustling up.

“If you can give me until to-morrow afternoon, then—­” he began.

Mr. Grimm glanced around at him, and with a slight motion of his head summoned two men who had been chatting near-by.  One of them was Blair, and the other Hastings.

“Take this man in charge,” he directed.  “Hold him in solitary confinement until you hear from me.  Don’t talk to him, don’t let any one else talk to him, and don’t let him talk.  If any person speaks to him before he is locked up, take that person in charge also.  He is guilty of no crime, but a single word from him now will endanger my life.”

That was all.  It was said and done so quickly that Howard, dazed, confused and utterly unable to account for anything, was led away without a protest.  Mr. Grimm, musing gently on the stupidity of mankind in general and the ease with which it is possible to lead even a clever individual into a trap, if the bait appeals to greed, took a car and went up town.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Elusive Isabel from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.