Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-12-18

gers were occupied in quite other tasks
than making calculations or casting
figures. He ferrc ed among the papers
he opened the drawers by means of
skeleton KEYS mude Tor him by Zirone,
who was quite AN adept IN such matters.
And al the time he kept strict watch
Oh Borik with whom he seemed some
how. quite ont of sympathy.
For five days SIrcanY's search was
useless. Each morning lie came with
the hope of succeeding; each evening he
returned 10 his hotei without having
discovered anything. H. feared he vas
going TO fail after all in his criminal en-
terprize. The conspiracy If there were
n conspiracy, and he could not doubt
that there was one might come to a
head at any moment before it had been
discovered, and consequently before it
had been reported.
But rather than lose the benefit of
discovery, even without satisfactory
proofs, better inform the police, said
Zirone, land give them a copy of the
letter"
THAT is what | am going to do if
necessary, said Sarcany.
Oh course Toronthal was kept inform
ed OF all that went on. And it was not
without difficulty that the impotence
OF the banker was duly c,wbed.
Chance came mt last to his assistance.
On the first occasion it brought him the
message, and now it came to him to
show linn how the message could be
deciphered. 1t was the last day of May.
about four o'clock in the afternoon.
Sarcany, according 10 his custom, waS
going 10 leave Zathmars house at five.
He was greatly disappointed that he
had advanced no further than on the
first day. and that the work he had
been doing for Count Saudon was APP
preaching its end. When the task was
finished he would evidently be dismiss
ed with thanks and rewards aud he
would have no chance of again entering
the house:
Zathmar and his two friends were not
ut home There was no one III the house
but Borik, and he was busy on the
ground floor. Sarcany, finding himself
free to do rs he liked, resolved TO go
into Count Za:hmars room which he
had not vet been abe 10 dO-and then
search everything he could
The door was locked. Srcany with
his skeleton keys soon opened it and
entered
Between the two windows opening on
to the street there was writing desk,
whose antique form would have delight
ed connoisseur in old furniture. The
shut down front prevented amy one in
speeding what was inside
1t was the first time Sarcany had the
chance of getting near this piece of
furniture. and he was not the man to
waste his opportunities. To rummage
in different drawers, he only had to
force the front. And this he did with
the aid OF his instruments, without the
lock being in any way injured,
In the four h drawer under pile of
papers, was kind of card cut into curl
Gus holes. The card caught his atten-
ton at once.
1.-The grating" be snid.
He was not mistaken.
His first idea was to take IL with him,
bat on reflection he saw that its disap-
pearance would awake suspicion, if
Count Zathmar noticed it had gone.
Good" said he to himself; "as
copied the message, so I'll copy the graf
ing, and Torontlal and | can read the
despatch Mt our ease"
The grating was merely square of
card about two and half inches long,
divided into thirty-six equal squares.
OF these thirty six equal squares.
arranged in six horizontal and vertical
lines, like those on Pythagorean table
OF SIX ciphers twenty-seven were shaded
md nine were open-that is to say, nine
squares had been cut out of the card and
left niue openings III different positions.
Sarcany had To he careful TO take the
exact size of the grating and the exact
position of the nine blank squares. And
this he did 10y tracing the grating on q
sheet of white paper and marking on his
couy "A small cross which he found on
the original, aud which seemed to dis
tinguish the top side.
BY means of this grating which it
would be easy To- copy OH piece Of
ordinary card. Sarcany felt that he would
have no difficulty IN deciphering the fao-
simile ofthe message then in possession Of
Toronthal and so he put back the orig
inal grating among the papers, as he had
found it. left Zathmar's room. left the
house, and returned to his hotel.
A quarter of All hour afterwards Zirone
behold him enter the room with such a
triumphant air that he could not help
exclaimIng
Halo What is mp Take care Of
yourselfl You are not so clever in hid
ing your joy as you are your grief, and
you'll betray yourself, if"
"Shut up" answered Sarcany, land
to work without losing q moment"
Before we feed 2"
Before we feed"
And then Sarcany picked mp card Of
moderate thickness He cut il according
to his tracing so as to obtain grating Of
the exact shape of his copy. not forget
ting the little cross which showed the
right end uppsymost TAea he took q