She
played and won, and played and won, and on and on, until her winnings
were about eight thousand dollars. Then luck turned. She began to lose.
Her money went, but she continued to play desperately. Finally some old
family jewels were pawned without her father's knowledge, and ultimately
they were lost. One day she awoke to the fact that she owed some nine or
ten thousand dollars in bridge debts. They were pressing and there was
no way to meet them. This meant exposure and utter ruin, and women do
strange things, Mr. Grimm, to postpone such an ending to social
aspirations. I know this much is true, for she related it all to me
herself.
"At last, in some way--a misplaced letter, perhaps, or a word
overheard--she learned that fifty thousand dollars would be in the
legation safe overnight, and evidently she learned the precise night."
She paused a moment. "Here is the address of a man in Baltimore, Thomas
Q. Griswold," and she passed a card to Mr. Grimm, who sat motionless,
listening. "About four years ago the combination on the legation safe
was changed. This man was sent here to make the change, therefore some
one besides Senor Rodriguez _does_ know the combination.
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