Catoctin clarion., 1897-05-06

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 he done was to find out the real mur-
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 Keppl hiiaself
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--over sixty in all
only seven occurred more than once in
the course of the composition. Of the
separate capitals occurred twenty-five
times, G seventeen times, B si&,E FIVE
and E four times. All this was very
puzzling. and was to be elucidated, if at
all, only after prolonged study, of which
Keppers 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 doYn.
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 couple of men were just prepar
ing to put out in catboat Keppel
asked them whittier they We're bound.
ITO Port jefferson" one of them an
swered.
What will you ask for setting me
across" inquired Keppel.
How does a dollar strike your"
'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
more secure in the comparative wilder
ness of Long Island than in large town.
Perhaps he might get temporary employ
ment with some farmer, or he might find
a captain of fishing smack to ship him
for cruise. When he was boy in New
England he had lived near the seashore
and had learned how to sail a boat.
The wind blew from the southwest,
and the catbOat started ont on the star
board tack, headed nearly for her desti-
nation. In two hours the coast was close
on board; they ran into the harbor, and
Keppel, having paid his dollar, jumped
ashore. 1t was then within an hour or
SO of sunset-a warm, quiet evening. He
set out to walk at haphazard, and soon
found himself following narrow track
through an apparently interminable
growth of small pine and oak. Once in
a while he passed a lonely farmhouse;
but though he was getting tired and
hungry again he could not make up his
mind to ask for shelter.
Night came on and found him still
tramping onward, with woods on either
hand But as the darkness increased
the path seemed to fade away and be-
come obliterated, and he was soon
stumbling through thick underbrush.
The boughs and twigs whipped Lis face
and the briars caught his feet. Suasgcr-
ing forward, exhausted and impatient,
he felt his feet sinking in a muddy ooze,
and discovered that he was on the bor-
ders of swamp He turned to the right
and began to skirt along its borders; but
again and again he narrowly escaped
plunging neck and ears in the treacher-
GUS morass. Frogs croaked on all sides
and mosquitoes buzzed around his head.
He lost all sense of direction, and thought
only of putting one foot before the other.
Often he fell, but scrambled up again
and groped onward. Whichever way he
turned the swamp seemed to lie in wait
for him. He thought: ut will swallow
me up in the endl And it was for this
that escaped from the railroad wreck!"
Just then he stumbled up slope, and
his feet trod on frmer ground. The
bushes and trees thinned away. Looking
up he saw before him black, rectangu-
lar mass. He drew nearer; it was house.
There was no light in the windows. 1t
seemed ruinous and deserted. But it was
human habitation, and would suffice.
He passed around the corner and found
the door; it yielded to his hand. He en-
tered, and felt his way along the parti-
ton of the hallway to another door on
the left. Passing in he saw a CLEAN of
light through crevice in front of him.
In another moment he had crossed the
floor and was standing on the threshold
of an inner room.
There was low bed against the oppo-
site wall. At its head stood table, on
which was lighted candle and some
small bottles. The furniture Of the room
was wretched in the extreme and the at
mosphere foul and sitting.
On the bed was stretched the gaunt
and ghastly figure Of man, who, as
Keppel appeared, raised himself with
difficulty on his left elbow, and with his
right hand leveled a revolver at the in
truder The glare of his sunken eyes
was appalling, and his hand shook so that