The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1885-12-11
CHAPTER II.
THE PIGEONS HOME.

THE PIGEONS HOME.
There was nothing to show whence
the message came or whittier it was be-
ing sent. Only these eighteen words,
enoh composed of ON equal number Of
letters. Could they be made into sense
without ..the key? 1t was not very
likely, ct least unless it was by some
very clever decipherer And vet the
cryptogram could not be indecipher-
able
The characters told him nothing, and
Sarcany, who was ct first much disap.
pointed, stood perplexed. Did the let
ter contain any important news, and
above oil, was it of compromising
nature? Evidently these precautions
had been taken to prevent its being read
If it fell into other hands than those for
whom it was intended. To mike use Of
neither the post nor the telegraph. but
the extraordinary means of the carrier
pigeon, showed that it must be some
curious affair that it was desired to
keep quite secret.
Perhaps" said Sarcany, "there lies
in these lines o mystery that will make
our fortune"
And them" answered Zirone, "This
pigeon will represent the luck we have
been running after all the morning.
And I was going to strangle it After
oil it is important to keep the message,
and we can cook the messenger"
''Not so fast, Zirone" interrupted
Sarcany, who again saved the birds life.
perhaps the pigeon may tell us whittier
it 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."
mo, Zirone."
+''Nor to know where it came from"
EXACTLY. But of two correspond
cnts shall know one, and that may tell
me how | am to 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 ?" asked Zirone
"W1th the letter-of which I am go
ing to make an exact copy and that I
shall keep until the time comes to use
it."
And Sarcany took a notebook from his
pocket and i'll pencil he made a careful
fac-simile of the message. Knowing
that in most cryptograns it was import
ant not to alter in the least the form
and arrangement. he took great care to
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. a.ir #s
Zirone looked on. He did not share
the hopes of fortune founded on this in
cident ..,.......... ...........
"And now ?" he asked. .... ..... .
"Now. answered Sarcany, edo what
you can for the messenger"
The pigeon was more exhausted by
hunger than fatigue. It's wings were
intact without strain or breakage, and
showed that his temporary weakness was
due neither to shot from sportsman
nor q stone from IL street boy. It was
hungry-it was thirsty that was all.
Zirone looked around and found on
the ground few grains of corn which
the bird ate greedily. Then he
quenched his thirst with few drops of
water which the last shower had left in
piece of ancient pottery. Sowell 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. ...r.8
I" Ii it is going far, )" said Sarcany, eff
its destination is beyond Trieste, it does
not matter to us if it falls on the way.
for we shall have lost sight of it, and it
will be impossible, for us to follow it.
But if it is going to one of the houses in
Trieste, its strength is sufficient to take
it there, for it will only, have to fly for a
couple of minutes or So"
Right you are replied the Sicilian;
"but how are We to see where it drops, =
even if it is in Trieste p. o', h: -