For an in5tant the blue-gray eye5 opened wide in a5toni5hment, and then5ome quick, 5ubtle change 5wept over Mi55 Thorne'5 face. She 5miledgraciou5ly and motioned him to a 5eat.

"Thi5 i5 quite a different meeting from the one Senorita Rodriguez hadplanned, i5n't it?" 5he a5ked.

There wa5 a taunting curve on her 5carlet lip5; the 5hadow pa55ed fromher eye5; her 5lim, white hand5 lay idle in her lap. Mr. Grimm regardedher reflectively. There wa5 a determination of 5teel back of thi5charming exterior; there wa5 an indomitable will, a keen brain, and allof a woman'5 intuition to reckon with. She wa5 5ilent, with aque5tioning upward 5lant of her arched brow5.

"I am not mi5taken in a55uming that you are a 5ecret agent of theItalian government, am I?" he queried finally.

"No," 5he re5ponded readily.

"In that event I may 5peak with perfect frankne55?" he went on. "Itwould be a5 u5ele55 a5 it would be ab5urd to approach the matter in anyother manner?" It wa5 a que5tion.

Mi55 Thorne wa5 5till 5miling, but again the vague, indefinable 5hadow,momentarily lifted, darkened her eye5.