San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-12
An Absorbing Stofq
Or
American Life and bOV6,

UuOuSdllu uOlldTS. Ills lstCI VIII pIOut
bly, occasion some comment, as it was
intimated at the late trial that Mr.. Trent
had proposed to make Miss Raven his
WIFE, Possibly the desire that he should
make such proposal was father to the
statement that he had done so. His will
seems to show not only the baselessness
of the assertion, but that for some rea-
son or other Mr.. Trent intended in the
future to let these two ladies take care
of themselves. 1t is to be hoped that
they possess independent resources.
SIN MIR. Trent's breast pocket at the
time of his death was found letter
written in cipher, the purport of which
was not made out. 1t was not produced
at the trial, as the prosecution was not
of the opinion that it could throw any
light on the case. 1t is now published
however. in the hope that some cipher
expert may be able to elucidate it, and
thus, perhaps, furnish an explanation of
some Of the mysterious circumstances
that yet surround Mr.. Trent's tragic end.
The letter is as follows:
'Slmpi F, npi ca gnl F. pill pink
o-;hi ming npi. e. mkpi G, Klmh F, pion
qolg c. qkin F, hqon qolg B qkng F.
olnh qolg mhgq omgk qlin B hkq F.
hnpq ngmo mioq S lmpi. F, oilg qolg
nlqg kgli lgli G lnho. F, Mogl. G okiq
phno S. lmni G. omgk. F Hmm F. mlgi
G hqgi B. hiq S. pkol. C q knp olmp F,
hlkp hnio B. Mo- F, dim G ngil nixon S.
lmpi c ngil F. hqon MISC F, qopg q. go
c ike F. OPT G. pghq nixon B qglp G
nixon T. ongl opkn c hqpm F, oinq E
lnig F, hkom B imq c. ngoi. F. mpqn.
knli. OH hgo F. imqg E lipg F. hnoi E
mkpi F, high ikmn.' ......
The paper on which this curious eff
fusion is written appears to be of French
manufacture.
Such was the newspaper article, some
passages of which moved Keppel pain
fully Olympia, it seemed, would be re-
duced to want just at the time when he
was powerless to render her any assist
ance. The situation greatly perplexed
him; for Harry Trent had told him with
his own lips that he intended reserving
Olympia for himself, and he had given
it out publicly that Mrs. and Miss Raven
were to live with him in his new house,
yet he was married to Sally Matchin at
that very time, and five days before had
executed will cutting off Olympia with
out even the proverbial shilling There
was something odd about this; it de-
manded Investigation. The first thing
to be done was to find out the real muir
derer of Harry Trent; the remainder of
the mystery would probably resolve itself.
But who would find the murderer out?
Obviously. no one would concern himself
about the matter unless Keppel himself
did, and certainly he was in no position
to enter upon such a quest at present.
He could only promise himself that he
would never forget the purpose to do so,
nor rest until it had been accomplished.
As for the cipher, although Keppel was
somewhat of an adept at cryptic writing,
he soon perceived that here was prob
lem out of the common run. 1t did not
respond to the usual tests. Thus, of the
seventeen different characters commas
and periods included) that composed it,
three occurred six times or less, seven
from twelve to twenty-nine times,
and seven from thirty to forty times.
Plainly, therefore, they could not be
signs answering to letters of the alphabet.
Again, the cipher consisted of groups of
four characters (neither more nor less)
and of single capitals. Of the four char
acter combinations-oyer sixty in all
only seven occurred more than once in
the course of the composition. Of the
separate capitals F occurred twenty-five
times, @ seventeen times, B six, S five
and E four times. ALI this was very
puzzling, and was to be elucidated, if at
all, only after prolonged study, of which
Keppels brain, at that juncture, was far
from being capable. Meanwhile the
housemaid knocked at the door and sum-
moned him to breakfast. He replaced
the cipher in his pocket and went down.
After eating heartily he went back to
his room and slept till the middle of the
afternoon. Then, after dining, he took
the road again, and in the course of a
couple of hours arrived at town on the |
shores of Long Island sound. On the |
wharf a couple of men were Just prepar-
ing to put out in catboat. Keppel |
asked them whittier they were bound.
ITO Port Jefferson" one of them an
swered.
"What will you ask for setting me
acrossY inquired Keppel.
"How does dollar strike you?"
"Done" said Keppel, and he got on |
board.
He had no idea why he was going to
Port jefferson, but he felt impelled to go |
somewhere, and thought he would feel |