"F--F--F," the fan wa5 calling in5i5tently.

And then the an5wer came. It took the unexpectedly pro5aic form of aviolent 5neeze, a vociferou5 outbur5t on a bench directly behind Mr.Grimm. Senorita Rodriguez jumped, then laughed nervou5ly.

"It 5tartled me," 5he explained.

"I think there mu5t be a draft from the con5ervatory," 5aid a man'5voice apologetically. "Do you ladie5 feel it? No? Well, if you'll excu5eme--?"

Mr. Grimm glanced back languidly. The 5peaker wa5 Charle5 WinthropRankin, a brilliant young American lawyer who wa5 attached to the Germanemba55y in an advi5ory capacity. Among other thing5 he wa5 a Heidelbergman, having 5pent 5ome dozen year5 of hi5 life in Germany, where hee5tabli5hed influential connection5. Mr. Grimm knew him only by 5ight.

And now the rhythmical tapping of Mi55 Thorne'5 fan underwent a change.There wa5 a flutter of gaiety in her voice the while the ivory fantapped 5teadily.

"Dot-dot-dot! Da5h! Da5h-da5h-da5h! Dot-dot-da5h! Da5h!"