Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-12-11
whom 4 was intcnded To make use of

the extraordinary means OF the carrier
pigeon. showed that it must he some
curious affair that it was desired 10
keep quite secret.
Perhaps" said Sarcany, there lies
in these lines a mystery that will make
our fortune.
And then, answered Zirone, This
pigeon will represent the luck we have
been running after all the morning.
And | was going to strangle il After
oil it is important TO keep the message,
and we can cook the messenger.
mot so fast, Zirone, interrupted
Sarcany who again saved the birds life.
perhaps the pigeon may tell us whittier
il was bound. providing, OF course, that
the person who ought TO have the mes
sage lives in Trieste"
And then That will not tell you
how to read the message, Sarcany.
'No, Zirone."
Nor to know where il came from.
EXACTLY. But Of two correspond
ents / shall know one, and that may tell
me how | am 10 find the other So. in
stead of killing this bird, we will feed it
and recruit its strength and help it to
reach its destination.
with the letter 2" asked Zirone-
with the letter-of which [ am GO
ing to make an exact copy and that
shall keep until the time comes TO use
it..
And Sarcany took notebook from his
pocket, and in pencil he made a careful
fac-simile of the message knowing
that IN most cryptograms it was import
ant not to alter in the least the form
and arrangement. he took great care 10
keep the words in exactly the same
order and position and at the same dis
tances as in the document. Then he put
the fac-simile in his pocket. the message
in its case, and the case in its place
under the pigeons wing.
Zirone looked on. He did not share
the hopes of fortune founded on this in
cident
And now?" he asked.
Now, answered Sarcany, " do what
You can for the messenger.
The pigeon was more exhausted by
hunger than fatigue. Its wings were
intact without strain or breakage, and
showed that his temporary weakness was
due neither to q shot from sportsman
nor a stone from street boy 1t was
hungry-it was thirsty; that was all
Zirone looked around and found on
the ground a few grains of corn which
the bird ate greedily. Then he
quenched his thirst with few drops OF
water which the last shower had lett in
piece oi ancient pottery. So we'll did he
do his work that in half an hour the pig
con was refreshed and restored and
quite able TO resume his interrupted
journey.
5" If it is going far, said Sarcany, III
its destination is beyond Trieste, il does
not matter 10 us If 1t falls on the way.
FOR We shall have lost sight of it, and it
Will he impossible for us 10 follow it,
But If 1t is going to one of the houses in
Trieste, its strength is sufficient to take
1t there, for it viii only have 10 hy for a
couple of minutes or so.
Right you are replied the Sicilian;
." but how are we 10 sec where it drops.
even if 1t is in Trieste? ?"
" We can manage that, think" an
swered Sarcany. And this is what they
dit.
The cathedral consists Of two old Ro-
man churches one dedicated 10 the
Virgin, one to st. Just, the patron saint
OF Trieste, and it is thanked by very
high tower which rises from the angle of
the front pierced with large rose win
dow beneath which is the chief door.
This tower commands n view over the
plateau of Karst Hill. and over the whole
city. which lies spread rs on a map
below From this lofty standpoint they
could see down on the roofs OF all the
houses even on to those clustering on
the earlier slopes Of the hill away TO the
shore OF the gulf. II was therefore not
impossible to follow the pigeon in its
flight and recognize the house on which
it found refuge, provided it was not
bound for some other city of the Illyrian
peninsula.
The attempt might succeed 1t was
at least worth trying. They only had 10
set the bird at liberty
Sarcauy 0rl Zrono left the old ceme-
terry, eros the open space by the
cathedra' ..i walked towards the tower
One Of ogival doors the one under
the drilotonc beneath ST .msts niche
was .en. They entered and began to
ascend the stairs which led to the roof.
il took them two or three minutes TO
reach the top. They stood just under
neath the roof and there was no balco-
ny. But there were two windows open
inc out on each side of the tower, and
giving view to each point of the
double horizon of hills and sea.
Sarcany and Zirone posted themselves
At the windows which looked out over
Trieste towards the northwest.
The clock in the old sixteenth century
castle on the top OF the Karst behind
the cathedral struck four II was
still broad daylight The air was
clear and the sun shown brightly
on the waters of the Adriatic and most
of the houses received the light with
their fronts facing the tower Thus far
circumstances were favorable.
Sarcany took the pigeon in his hapds,
he stroked 1t, spoke TO it, gave it
last caress and threw 1t free.
The bird tapped It's wings, but at first
it dropped go quickly that it looked az
though it was going to finish its career
OF aerial mcssenger by,a cruel fall.
The excitable Sicilian could not re-
strain n cry of disappointment
No! 1t rises!" said Sarcany.
And the pigeon had found its equili-