The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1905-08-25
a Message in
Cipher
BY JOHN SCHOLFIELD

oooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooo
s4N oU will deliver this packet into
I the hands of the Japanese am
bassador. London, without moments
unnecessary delay" said Sir Jasper
Hale to Harold Malvern. an attache Of
the British embassy, Paris. You are to
cross from Calais, but do not entrain at
Paris. Drive, walk, or ride to one Of the
outlying suburbs, and entrain there.
Return with the answer as soon as you
can, and be prepared to start tonight.
So saying, Sir Jasper handed Malvern
a small packet, and dismissed him.
Hurriedly bidding his man pack up
his valise, the young attache descended
to the drawing-rOOm.- where a few
guests were assembled, among them be-
ing the beautiful daughter of Paul
Ivanovitch, chief secretary to the Rus
sian embassy. Malvern at once ap-
preached her, for he had formed great
liking for the lovely girl
"Ah," said the girl Immediately
frightening as he approached L have
not seen you for some time. Doubtless
you have been busy, and have been un-
able to cail?'
WAR has far reaching Influences"
he returned, with a bright smile, "and
even touches humble attache like my
self War is doubly cruel when the de-
mands it makes upon my time keep me
from you," he added, in whisper.
''You English have not lost the art Of
paying pretty compliments" returned
Vera Ivanovitch, with an aSpreciative
little laugh.
At this moment two Russians entered
the room, and, after greeting their host
ess. came towards Vera and Malvern
The girl shrank back almost impercept-
IDLY, and half frightened look showed
momentarily in her face.
Malvern at once noticed 1t, and won
dered at the cause. The next moment
the two Russians had exchanged greet
ings with Vera herself The younger
he Immediately identified as a rich and
wellknown ST. Petersburg man of fash
ion, who moved in the best of diplomatic
circles, but whose record was not alto
gether an enviable one. No one knew
how he became possessed of his money.
1t was he from whom Vera had shrunk
on seeing him approach. ..
His companion Malvern did not re-
member having seen before Ex-
actly why Malvern couldn't tell. but he
was suddenly seized with a sort Of
premonition of mischief.
He endeayored to attract Vera'S at
tention by every conceivable means, but
no, she would not meet his gaze What
power had the handsome young Russian
over her?
90, by the way. Mr. Malvern" she said
presently-as the attache thought, with
assumed indifference-"you recollect
wanted you to read my mothers poems?
I have brought the book with me and
have marked my favorites.'
Thank you" he said cts good of
you. | will take every care of the book"
and he commenced turning over the
leaves, pausing at certain pages which
Vera had marked. --..
AS ne read he suddenly noticed that
some of the letters had a tiny dot, no
bigger than pins head, penciled over
the top. He paused for a moment,
vaguely wondering if there were any
hidden meaning in those mystic dots.
What did those dots over the letters
mean? Did they come by accident or
design? Was Vera endeavoring to con-
vey to him silent message? His at
tention became riveted on them He
began slowly to read:
by perfumed meadows and purling
streams,
The cows are browsing laziIy:
Far off the sound Of joyful song
Then he stopped. With quick fash
of intuition he singled out the dotted
letters. There was b-e-c-a-r-e full all
dotted. In moment he had it. BE
CAREFUL" These were words that star
tied him. It was indeed a message from
Vera-a message of warning. God bless
her! She was as loyal and as true as