The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-04-22
SELECTED STORY.
The Cipher Correspondence


great effect on her destlnes.
About the beginning of this century, while
the revolutionary wars were raging, communi-
cation In cipher was naturally very prevalent !;
aud ingenuity was taxed to the utmost, on one
hand to invent, and on the other to detect, the
medium used in secret correspondence. As
rule the declpherer had beaten the cipherer;
aud no known method was secure OF oe-eo 1
tion. Ii conventional signs merely were useu
the recurrence OF the different symbols save q
key easily followed out. Some ingenious
spirits corresponded by reference to the pages
and lines of particular editions OF particular
books; others by an aereed-on vocabulary.
But these last methods, although they might
preserve the secret, disclosed, what was often
quite as dangerous, that there was secret.
i am about to tell you of plan which tor
long years was not only undetected, but un-
suspected.
II was at the time when the first Napo-
leon had assembled his feet and TRANSPORTS at
Brest, with the ostensibe, and, as is generally
believed, the real view of making {, descent
on this island. The greatest precautions were
observed By this government in regard to cor
respondence from France, and an amount OF
espionage was practised at the post office
which left subsequent performances in that
line far behind. The national excitement
was intense, and the political departments OF
the government were administered Win an
iron sway.
My uncle, Sir George Trevor, was, as all
the world then knew, high in the Admiralty !;
and as it was from him that heard this anec-
dote, its veracity may OF course be depended
on.
were the subject of the greatest vigilance, and
the most stringent regulations. The clerks
were not permitted to send or receive any let
tiers which were not first submitted to the
chief clerk; and it was believed that letters ad-
dressed even to their private residences were
frequently opened at the post Office.
At the time l speak of, the chief clerk was
an elderly man of the name of Parket,-a
wizened, wiry, dapper individual, so imbued
with the official tincture of Whitehall that il
had become second nature to him. He lived
and breathed and thought and slept solely for
the Admiralty, and knew no other pleasure
or care. He was, witbal, a genial and kindly
soul, keen and energetic in the affairs of his
Office, and in all others mere child.
He had assumed as his private secretary a
young fellow of the name of Beaumont, who
was one of the most promising subcrdinates
in the establishment. He was a modest, un-
assuming man, very good.looking, with
countenance and air suggestive of depression
and melancholy. He was evidently of good
education, and probably well-born also, for
his manners were easy and indicated good
breeding. He was native of Jersey, and
had been introduced to the notice of the adj
miralty authorities by some influential mem.
Der of Parliament. He was much liked In the
Office, and discharged its duties to perfection.
One morning Parker presented himself be.
fore my uncle with yisage pale with woe,
and trembling with excitement.
"Mby, what is the matter, Parker? Has
Bonaparte Gomez"
He may have, for aught 1 know" said
Parker. Things are all wrong, Sir Georgev p
"What is wrong?"
"The letters are wrong. There is a spy
among us. have known il for long; now
am quite sure but / cannot find him out"
Parker went on to explain that be had for
some time suspected that some one in the Oh
fee communicated their private information
and dispatches outside. He had redoubled
his precautions; but, more than ever confirm
cd in his suspicious, was entirely baffied in
bis endeasois to detect the culprit.
"But, l-arker," said my uncle, show do you
come 10 Ire 20 sure that your secrets have
transpired?"
by tue funds, Sir George. They answer
to the Jews rs surely as The bell down stairs
does 10 the bellrpe. l find them going up
and down as ii they were sitting in the office,'
said Parker, peIsopifyipg he sleek excharge
Have all the letters 10 the clerks been ex-
amined strictly ?"
"Yes: Iead them all myself"
Find nothing in them?'
mighty little. Some are from home and
some iiom trends, and most vi them from
sweetbesits," said Parker, twisting his face in.
TO grim smile; 'and rum things they say in
Them"
"And the young mems letters are they
rum, too?"
ssThey ara ,no,a ca,al,,l ILL., a. A. -,
am TO see them: but, Lord save you sir.they
are all stuff; not a ha'porth OF harm in them"
This matter must he seen TO-" said my un.
Gle; Il have had my own misgivines on the
same subject Bring me all The letters which
came TO and are sent by The clerks for the
next Week. There is no reason why you
should have all the rum things TO yourself"
So my unc e had the letters tor a week, and
found them very much as Parker had de-
scribed them.
The suspicious symptoms increased: the
stock exchange responded more sensitiyely
than ever; but not the slightest ground ior
suspectiDg any one transpired. Ny uncle was
bewildered, and Parker was rapidly verging
TO insanity.
''It is certainly not the clerks" said nv un.
Gle. There is no treason there" said he,
pushing back the letters OF the day. by the
way, how does your Beaumont get on? She
judge by her letters"
He is the best hand in the office, a long
sight; and his sister is a sweet lady-like crea-
ture. They are orphans, poor things; and he
supports her out OF his salary. She called at
the office two months ago, and l gave him
leave to see her for a few minutes in nv
room. But he knew it was against the rules,
and has not seen her here again."
But what are we to do?" said my uncle.
hlv,ly II mill l., -. H. r
So he spoke to the First Lord who thought
the affair serious enough.
1T must be in the letters" said he.
ut cannot be in the letters" said my uncle.
AS you please" said the chief; but al.
though you cannot find it there, perhaps an
other can. would try an expert"
My uncle had no faith in experts or Bow
street runners, and mistrusted them. But he
could not refuse to try the experiment sug-
gested. SO the most experienced cipherer in
London was summoned into council and tn
him the letters of the day were secretly sub
mtted.
he read them all very care fully, looked at
the light through them. At last he put them
all aside, excepting one from Elmer Beau
mont.
"Who is the lady who writes this? ?" said
the taciturn man of skill, at last.
"A very sweet young woman" said Parker
docs she write often ?"
eyes; she is his only correspondent. and
writes about twice week."
where does she live?"
"She lives in Jersey, Beaumont told me,
Their father was in business there"
And does she always write about the same
kind OF things,-aunrs rheumatism, picnics
squires tea-parties and the ike?"
Much the same, except when she speaks of
Beaumont himself"
HUMP said the expert
"Wel, sir" said my uncle who was rather
impatient OF the man of skill's pomposity.
and what may HUMP mean? lave the
young woman and her aunt's rheumatism
done the Mischief"
Hum! She dates from Fleet stree?.
"And why should she not date from Fleet
street sir?'
should be sorry TO prevent her" said the
unmoved philosopher. HAS this correspond
ence continued long?'
oh yes!-a couple Of years or so but not
nearly so regularly as lately,
FOR how long regularity"
About two months"
That rs about the time when you first sus.
pecied the betrayal OF confidence?"
ealy; my friend, II you can't see farther
into a milestone than that, You NAV give nm
the profession" said my nncle. Take nv
word for II. the Beaumonts have nothing 10
do with II. Rubbshr' ~
"Humw And with that the man of .kiD
took hrs hat and departed, saving Re vonld
return 10 two days. The two DAYS. however.
were five before he came back; and he was
again ciosetad with my uncle and Parker,
with whom he had fallen into great disfayor.1
Wants to MAJ a job" said the latter-"a
regular huDbus'