The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-11-30
UNRAvELING 4 CIPHER.

ton of letters and figures, the sole clue TO
the whereabouts of the gem | hal been af-
ter for over week, scarcely resting. eating
or sleeping in my anxiety 10 secute the re-
ward offered III heavy burglary case and
something else.
That something else" All my heart
sank within me rs Hung aside the euig
NAUTICAL puzzle before me, and leaning back
IN my chair gave myself Up to the gloomy
reveries Of the past. Edna Dayton how
loved her How fair ami beautiful as 4
summer 5 idyl had been the week in which
had met her, had loved her aud had bren
told that my affection was returned How
well | remember the bitter parting a hope
less one II seemed 10 me when | learned
my fate from her fathers lips and passed
down the brown stone steps of the Dayton
mansion, wondering if the inclination of
moneyed men towards stone residences was
not caused by the existence of a similar
hard material in that part of the human
anatomy known as the heart.
( was poor man he said, and the pro-
fession of a detective was a precarious one
His daughter loved me; lie could not DENY
that but she was his only child and her
wealth and position demanded a match
with some social equal. lie would not
break her heart by absolutely refusing to
sanction our engagement, but if within a
year could secure fortune of twenty tive
thousand dollars aud lucrative business
Il
ne wonld consider il.
Twenty five thousand dollars, | grew
sick AZ the thought of the condition Impos.
ed. upon which was to purchase future
happiness. In the reception of 4 meaere
salary aud utterly unknown where was to
raise this amount? And what business
capacity had |, the son of parents who had
given me every luxury and neglected pI &C
teal education, until crush came that left
us homeless and in perjury
Day and night for over 4 month brood.
ed over my sorrow, and when one day was
aroused into renewed life by the reception
of formal but courteous note from Mr..
Dayton, requesting my immediate attend
ance at the mansion.
Ny feet winged as FASTENED to the
house Of my loved Edna. What did it
mean? Had he relented? Was Edna sick
or did business await me at the pleasure of
my hard hearted CENSOR was ushered in
to the library, where found the old gen.
tleman in an intense state of excitement,
pacing the floor, the window broken in,
papers and boxes scattered about the apart
men,, and safe in the corner broken open
stared At him in amazement.
You seem agitated. Mr.. Dayton" |
veutured To suggest.
= :. Agitated, agitated, sin ! am wild.
( Last night, or early this morning. burglars
entered this apaTti,nnee..., by means of yonder
window, and broke open safe. When
I came down this morning foann>ss itairs
as they are now, aud NEARLY Que huudree.
thousand dollars in money, bonds and
jewelry gone
| stared mutely. The immensely of the
robbery pe,riiied me.
No, he Numbered. coming to a full
stop; II have no confidence in 4 police
force which fails to protect house from
such an audacious burglary and expects
"ne-half Of the booty for its return. Here
/ is the room ard yond,r is "A list of the
/ stolen property. | believe you are honest
and leave the entire affair in your own
hands. Call upon me for whatever money
/ you require in an attempt to recover the
/ property or 10 detect the thieves. If you
succeed within month, | will pay you
thirty thousand dollars. if you fail will
| pay your expenses for month and place
the case in other hands. Are you salts
/ tie,i -
! gasped systematically. Thirty thou
/ sand dollars, \ fortune-more than the
| price Of my happiness. And then the
/ pride of my profession came to my aid,
and told him that | should succeed
examined the apartment. The bur-
| glary had been effected very simply, APP
parently. Edward. the footman-a tall,
lank specimen Of humaniiy-had heard a
noise in the night in the library bu, had
/ paid no attention To il, as Mr.. Dayton WAS
IN tie habit of writing very late. and he
thought II was his employer.
/ What puzzled me the most was the
means of entrance and egress adopted by
the burglar or burglars. The library was
( fully fifteen feet from the ground. had n
bay window, and, except the broken pane
/ of glass, there was not the slightest sign
/ to show how the window had been gained.
] 4 l,ll Ii
of a ladder. no signs Of footsteps exhibited
themselves in the damp ground, wet from
recent rains.
was sorely puzzled. examined the
servants one by one. but could find no clue
/ to Justify the slightest suspicion of COM
| plicity in the affair on their part. The
work had evidently been done by scientific
burglars, and they bad worked at their
/ leisure.
( inquired into the antecedents of Ed
ward. the footman; but Mr.. Dayton aver
red that he would allow no suspicion to
rest on 81 faithful a servant to the family.
| resolved TO inquire more about him. how
ever; but found not hing against the man.
and temporarily dismissed him from my
mind as having no connection with the
case.
% GU heard no noise on the night of the
robbery" inquired of Mr.. Dayton
. None. slept unusually sound last
night
! went away thoughtfully. Cor | had
found in the library an empty bottle which,
from the scent, knew to have contained
chloroform and | had noticed the marks
of muddy boots leading from the apart
nent, while around the window none were
to be seen. Tho glass. too, had been
broken by quick blow, not cut out. AL
together, it was most mysterious piece of
business.
watched all dives frequented by the
cracksmen of the city. and worked like a