Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-09-24


of 1t is simple.
The cipher which Keppel was dealing
with was of this species, and perhaps
no more nearly perfect one was e
made. It was based upon the philo-
sophie structure Of language, and upon
the mathematical principle that gives
different values or meanings to a char
acter according to its place in a combi-
nation. This plan enables words to be
written with much fewer letters than
are contained in the ordinary alphabet
and to be expressed with not more than
four characteristics, n to represent the
root of the word, II for the terminus
tons, one for the part of speech, one for
such common combinations as ion, ght,
ment, phi, and SO on. Thus, if in the
cipher ikmn meant writing, then iklm
would mean writer, iknm written or
wrote, and kiln to write. Further mod
ilications We're indicated by the capital
letters. and others of a different kind by
the periods and commas.
But it will not be necessary TO carry
these hints any further. Enough has
been said to enable the reader, if he be
so minded, to work out the problem.
Keppel in the course of twenty minutes
had read the cipher letter, which, trans
lated from the French into English, ran
as follows:
arrangements have been perfected.
Name of messenger, Maurice Soiange.
Trust him. He leaves Paris February
fifteen. VIII take easterly route, and
should arrive not later than June. He
win telegraph from Panama. Send to
meet him at New Orleans. Treasure
packed in box, concealed, as already adj
vised. Approximate value, twenty mill
ion pounds sterling. In case of rob-
berry, death Or accident inform US by
cable. On receiving treasure store qui-
city (phno) in private vault. Rate of
commission, one per cent. per annum.
We intend to declare war i'll early sum-
mer, but circumstances may delay.
Winter campaign not desired. II sue
cessful Solange will bring back treasure.
Keep him with you meanwhile. If de-
feated we shall leave at once for New
York incognito (ngil F.). Empress and
sol TO England. Keep US constantly in
"a WI LAotIIIlfiiS
50 far as possible whether American
sympathies incline toward France or
Germany. Would it be advisable to
bring about collision between Germany
and United States? Is it possible that
arrangements can still be made about
Mexico? Ii we miscarry with Germany
something must be done to consolidate
and stimulate imperial sentiment here.
Our hand and seal"
The political immortality indicated by
this document did not at the time par
ticularly impress Keppel; his interest
was monopoIized by that part of the let
ter relating to the treasure. For some
minutes his mind staggered in bewilder-
ment at the suggestion presented to it.
1t seemed far more incredible now than
before that a great fortune should actu.
ally be within his reach. He had dreamed
a wild dream of hundreds of thousands
of dollars, and it had almost seemed real
to him, but now that he heard, as il
wera. the very jingle of a hundred mill,
ions he could not believe it. And yet
the evidence that a fortune not less vast
lay possibly within a few yards Of where
he was sitting was mor than plausible.
The more he examined it the more plaus.
ible did it appear.
He underworld to review the situation
step by step. He had found a man who
manifestly carried some weighty secret
on his mind. This man, who was dying
of yellow fever, spoke of one Maurice as
being dead and as haunting him. Who
could Maurice be but the Maurice So
lange mentioned in the cipher letter:
Maurice, then, according to the letter,
had been dispatched in charge of a treas
IRE to America by way of India and the
Pacific. It was not uncommon for ships
making such a voyage to be- visited by
yellow fever. Maurice may have died
Of it, OF he may have been murdered.
Be that as it might, the maj whose body
lay within there had evidently got hold
of the treasure and had brought it here.
| He had said that he meant to dispose of
it piece by piece. He had spoken of the
emperor. Who could this emperor be
but Napoleon? And by whom, unless by
Napoleon, could the cipher letter have
been written? Napoleon, for reasons of
his own, had determined to send this
treasure to some one in New York. Wht
was that person? The cipher letter hat
been found il the pocket of Harry Trent
| There was therefore no escape from tllt
conclusion that Harry Trent must have
been the consignee Of the treasure
Harry Trent, again, was a dealer il
precious stones, and was known to b.
personally acquainted with the Frenci
emperor. The pieces Of the puzzle fttet
into one another like a mosaic. And b,
a strange fatality Keppel Darke, wh'
had been wrongfully accused of murder
ing Trent, had, through that accusation
| been brought in contact with a forum,
| not inferior TO any in the world.
But where was the treasure? Was
in the neighborhood?
Keppel looked about him. A garde1
two or three acres in extent, long sine
gone to seed, adjoined the house. Out
side the garden was a waste of stuntet
woodland, extending to the swamp o.
one side and toward the ocean on tn
other. To the westward lay a sort o
pasture, with a few struggling appl
trees growing upon it. The place was
deserted farm, such as is often met witt
on Long Island, and may not have beel
inhabited for many years. The treasur
was probably buried somewhere abou
the grounds-it might be far or neal
Wherever it was, it was worth searchin!
for, and Keppel resolved to examin
every square foot of ground within
mile, II necessary, before giving it UP
This might take time-weeks or eTel
months. Meanwhile, he would have t
live in the house; and the first thing t
be done was to get the dead man and al
his belongings out of it.
But now the question REQUIRED, hoy
should he make a grave? Though thu
was a farm, there We're no farming in
plements on it. The soil was sandy, t
be sure, but it would take days to max
a hole deep enough, with only sticks an
stones to dig with; and the body woul
have become intolerahle long befor
that. As Keppel thought this, his eye
fell upon the swamp, and he wake
down thither.
1t seemed to be of considerable e.
tent, and looked more like a shallo'
pond than D marsh. A few feet OF
from the sbnra black staunapt u-ate