Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1878-11-05

yertisement. TIE clerk stated that it
had been received by mail, in letter
enclosing the amount requisite for lis
insertion in the DaDer. Gould ! see
the original copy?n He would see;
aud a message was sent to the compo-
sing Luckily, the copy had
been preserved 1t was written in q
disguised hand. I asked leave to re-
tain il. and permission being granted
TO me, returned 10 my room at once.
pored over the cipher for long
time. and, discouraged at my inabili-
ty to make out one word of ii, was fl
naiiy about to abandon it, when /
Glanced to look at the reverse side OF
the paper, There were figures and
/ words OH it, and l read, United
States bonds, 10000" and other me-
NOR nda, indicating that it had been
a loose wrapper for valuable papers.
Then | knew the advertisement
bore an important relation to the rob-
berry.
And so until the day upon which
/ the story opens was unable to make
! head or tail of the secret enigma
So wearied was that fell asleep
with my head upon my desk, and l
did not awaken until noon time, II is
wonderful how a brief repose will
clear the mind | took up the paper
with renewed energy, and a bright
idea flashed over me.
Simple as it was, had not thought
of il before. The entire message was
written on the substitution Of letters
based on the reversal of the alphabet.
Instead Of a, 2, the last letter, was sub
stituted of b, y, was used; the alpha
bet reversed was the key TO the solu-
ton of the puzzle.
| gave utterance to q shout of joy,
for, following out the theory, it read:
Larry, meet me Saturday nigGt at
l37 Fire street.
And Ned" oil Edward was the
name of Dayton's foctman, | began
to see a very large mice. But Fire
street-there was no such thorough
fare in the city, and /. was 'hooredn
again.
Gradually, the thought occurred to
me on tine basis of reversal and oppo-
sites adopted by the sender of the mes
sage, why should not fire. mean
water" its direct reverse?
/ dashed down the stairs, and, hail
ing cab for 1 did not forget that il
was Saturday, and that evening was
the appointed time for the meeting of
the two burglars, if such they were,
| had reached Water street,
Vacant. Number l37 was an emp
ty lot!
/ paused, disappointed, and dismiss.
ed the vehicle. again having recourse
to the puzeling enigma! So near the
solution aud yet doomed 10 be baked
at the last, and
A sudden inspiration of renewed
energy, and had forged the last link
in the chain OF evidence. There had
been reversal in the order of numbers
from one to ten. as in the letters Of the
ALPHABET, aud 1877 meant 1854.
i looked at my watch-3 o'clock. -
/ went to the nearest local telegraph
office and sent the following dispatch
to the Chief of Poliece:
''i5end TO this office three efficient
men in citizens clothes"
l signed my name lit a cigar and
awaited the arrival Of the evening and
my companion officers.
1t was dark when we reached the
place for the meeting appointed 10y
the two men. Ii was vile groggery,
kept by woman, and a resort for the
very lowest class of rufliana. | had
put on felt hat aud a pair of false
whiskers and | entered the bar-room,
having first PLACED my men III advan
tageOus position on the outside.
Within half an hour there entered
an old woman, yelled, bearing some
bulky object under her cloak. She
made q sign 10 the woman behind tie
bar and went into the next room. ]
caught sight of her feet rs she passed
through The door: they were encased
not in shoes but in mems boots. /
went quickly to the bar and made
sign to the woman.
as Larry in there?" I inquired in
loud voice, pointing 10 the other
apartment.
She looked at me sharply, and then
replied in the affirmative.
Keep any body that comes out" !
said, significantly. we are going 10
divide Tie swag."
And / opened the door.
There was no one in the first room,
but i'm the second, by table, OH
which lay large tin box, was my
game-Larry, the burglar, aid tall. !
spare form in female attire, with veil
thrown back and terrified face, and
the fOotman, Edward.
You can drop that little dodge, gen.
tlemen," said. quietly whipping out
a brace of revOlvers. "The house is
surrounded, and any resistance will
only make it worse for you. Larry
open that door,
He unbolted the rear door under the
silent, persuasive eloquence of my re-
volveT, and the three officers enter
ed.
Need l tell the rest? Edward, The /
footman, had admitted his accomplice /
into the house and had chlorof0rmed |
his employer. He had kept the boo I
ty hidden in his room, not daring to |
go out to communicate with his pal, |
except as has been seen for fear he was |
watched.
The property had not been disturb
ed, but justice was cheated, for both |
the men escaped before conviction,
and were never heard of agsiL. As /
for me, quietly handed $500 to the /
department, resigned, engaged in bu-
siness and married Edna.