Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-06-05


had been Implicated in several burg
laries, and one of my men, who hap
pened to be standing. near, picked it up
and handed it to me. think there is
more in it than appears on the surface.
Take 1t with you. and see what you
can make of it."
Bob Westbrook took the envelope
which the inspector-to whom he had
made application for a position in the
detective force-gave him, and left the
office.
He had never done any detective
work before, and had only been on the
police force about eight months, but he
was very ambitious, and desired to be-
come a detective.
Going home, he retired to his room,
and proceeded to examine the letter.
The direction was as follows:
MR.. ALBERT SINCLAIR,
General Postoffice,
London, e. G.
The postmark was that of Bayswater,
and the date Jan. 10. Inside was the
following letter:
Bayswater, Jan. 1O.-Dear Albert:
Meet Mary Owen as you promised me,
and ask her to come at noon the day she
gets the message. l have made a corner
in some of the securities of which l spoke
when at Tottenham the other week. If
you court her, the house in Gloucester
road shall be yours soon. On Monday. 1
expect to spend the evening with you
without fail, and at that time l shall
bring nine others. Expect US at = o'clock
sharp. l shall then indicate to you how
we had better divide sthe work, so that
the profits may be large as possible.
Jim" 6.
Bob read the letter over carefully sew
ef4l times, but could find nothing sus-
pfcious about it except the figure '6'
in the lower right-hand corner Of the
page.
This Puzzled him not little, and rs
he studied the letter more the convic-
ton grew upon him that underneath
this apparently innocent communica-
ton there lurked some mysterious COM
munication, which might prove the key
to a deed of villainy.
In vain he puzzled over the letter; in
vain tried every combination which his
ingenuity could suggest. He applied
heat in hopes of bringing out sympa-
thetic ink; but again in vain. He went
to bed that night thoroughly puzzled
and almost discouraged.
In the morning he again started to
work, but in more systematic manner.
He, tried every other line with no re-
suit; every third line. then every fourth
line, and SO on, but still with no result.
Then he began and tried every other
word, but he met with failure.
Just at this point the mysterious fig
ure 6 caught his eye. He started, as a
sudden thought struck him. Could this
be the key to the mystery? He would
try, and accordingly he began, and
then, with the first word, took every
sixth word of the letter.
The result was certainly startling.
When he finished he found that he had
the following communication:
Dear Albert: Meet me at the corner of
Tottenham Court road, Monday evening
at o'clock, to divide profits. JIM.
There evidently must have been some
powerful motive Of concealment here,
else why should this note have been
written, and the true meaning SO care
fully hidden?
Bob felt much elated at his success,
and determined to make one Of the par
ty at the corner of Tottenham Court
road on Monday evening.
On the appointed evening, few min
utes before 8 o'clock, a man was walk
ing up and down the pavement at the
rendezvous named in the letter.
He was evidently expecting some one,
and every few minutes would look at
his watch fmpatientiy. After he had
been waiting about ten minutes, anoth-
er man walked slowly up the street.
The one who had been waiting ad-
vanced hurriedly, and seizing him by
the arm, drew him into the shadow of
one of the houses, and said, in a low,
eager voice:
well, what news?"
Nothing much," said the other man,
"except that have been unable to dis
pose Of all the swag."
"How much money have you raised 2"
Zone thousand pounds"
"Good! You have some of the Jew
elry still?'
Eyes. only sold the diamonds"
"Do you think you can get rid of the
rest safely" e.
mo, not just now. think we had
better divide them just as they are, and
when the excitement is over we can
dispose Of them"
"All right. You say you have one
thousand in cash?"
Eyes. Come down to Johns and I'll
give you your share"
The men then started down the road
together.
No sooner had they moved off than a
figure emerged from a dark doorway
and followed them at distance.
The figure was that of Bob West
brook.
The men entered door in front of
, which hung a ned lamp. Following
them Bob also entered.
He found himself in a room which