Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-09-27
THE FREEDOM CIPHER


The Vlgilant sat in his big invalid
chair porting over small slip of pa
per on the desk before him. He had
been sitting there, just so, motionless
to all appearances almost llfeless. all
through the long night hours, while
kioto, the little brown Japanese serv-
ant, slept quietly on the mat before the
door.
Before him was a crumpled heap Of
papers, of even greater dimensions
than usual; on the table at his elbow
stood his breakfast-a cup Of coffee and
plate Of fruit-untouched. The pa
per which he was studying was a
cipher cut from the agony column of
one Of the dallies. 1t ran as follows
8.7.a.2.5.9.d.3.h l m 2.479p.2Q.7.8.A.
1.39.w.
To any one unacquainted with the
art Of cipher reading the above would
seem unintelliglble. To the Vigilant's
trained eye the method Of 1t and its
construction were child's play. But
there was one thing necessary for its
solution, and that was what had kept
the Vigilant to his chair all the long
night
He stretched out long, slnewy hand
and drew toward him a thick, white
sheet Of paper carefully ruled into
small divisions and cut here and there
at irregular intervals with a sharp
knife point 1t was form of what Is
technically known as a "gridiron"-an
instrument much used in cipher read
Ing and making. He turned it over
thOughtfully, with puckered brow, and
applied it to an open page before him,
moving 1t carefully from position to
position, apparently without result; for
after a while he desisted and relapsed
into his former broodlng attitude.
There came the sharp whirr Of an
electric bell. Kioto rose noiselessly to
his feet and vanished, only to return
ushering In a tall, bronzed, distinguish
ed looking man.
81 am glad your hlghness has hon.
ored me with a visit" said the Vigil
liant. you will pardon my not rising
am, as you see, an invalid. 1 was
about to write and beg you to grant
me an interview"
The tall man started slightly at be-
ing unexpectedly addressed by his title.
"You know me, then, Mr.. Third. In
that case you probably also know why
1 am here"
II know, sir, that 1 am addressing
Prince Rupert of Malonia, who is to
be crowned in his capital Of NerVan in
ten days time, and that the city is a
positive nest Of anarchy"
The prince nodded and seated him
self.
'"That is perfectly true, and it is for
that reason l am here. l was advised
to come to you as the one man who
knew more Of anarchists than even
they do themselves. l have received
warnings that l am to be made an
example Of As a rule, l should have
taken no notice; but on such an occa-
sion-well the streets of Nervan are
narrow, especially those near the ca
thedral, which lies in the old city,"
A silence Of a few moments ensued,
broken only by the crisp rustllng of
papers his visitor handed to him.
'sThese are serious, sir" he said,
when he had finished. 'They are the
work of a man we'll known to me; an
enthusiast-madi If you wlll-but man
who would cheerfully sacrifice his own
life to insure the destruction of yours.
And, as your highness says, the streets
of Nervan are narrow and a desper-
ate man might do much. The fellow is
an Italian by birth, Pasquali by name
Your highness receives the reports OF
your project of police; could you tell
me the name of any anarchist publica-
tion which may be privately printed in
! NervanT
There is a Socialist organ called
Freedom which is printed in secret
but though revolutionary, they don't
advocate the use of the bomb and
fine revolver. have copies forwarded
to me each week by them"
"Could 1 have those copies|
Certainly. They shall be sent around
at once"
"In that case, your highness, THINK
need detain you no further. l have
baan at work for some days on a Sc
ries of ciphers which am certain are
the handiwork of this PasqualL iook
TO the papers you will send me tor
the one clue l need. will communi-
cate with you further In three Gays