Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-10-06

the Sill ppohN'
Philip, do you remember my say
ing what a contempt you must have
for the world that didn't know how to
fly? Do you remember that, and the
answer you made to it,
He nodded
Philip is that still there? Your
contempt, | mean for the world?"
81 don't believe" he said, that you
can even ask that seriously-you, who
gave me first my soul back again and
then. in these last weeks, my life.
For it's been your life that has lived
in me these last days-they must be
good many-just as 1t was your
warmth and faith and fragrance that
gave me back my soul, long ago" He
paused a moment; then, when ne went
on his voice had a somewhat different
quality But the other contempt,
Jeanne, that still exists. or would ex-
ist if gave it the chance, the worlds
contempt for me. Not even your faith
could shake that"
She had been half-reclining beside
him, but now she sat erect purposeful-
ton.
I'm not so sure of that" she said,
in a matter-of-fact tone, though there
was an undercurrent of excitement in
It, Philip, I have been trying to
solve puzzle since you were ill.
hoped l could solve 1t by myself. If
| were intelligent enough I'm sure
could; but I'll have to ask you to help
me It's string of letters written
around a picture, in a locket"
"a locket of yours?" he asked, sur
prised
Never mind about that just now"
She spoke hastily and the undercur
rent of excitement was growing
stronger in her voice.
do you want me to try 1t now?" he
asked IF you'll make a light and
show me the thing I'll see what
can do"
Perhaps you won't need that" she
said. II can remember the letters.
They are divided up into words, but
Pm sure they are not any foreign Ian
guage; they are in a code of some
sort"
She did not turn to look at him, but
she felt him stir little, with sudden
ly aroused attention, and heard his
breath come little quicker
The first letter was all by itself"
she said, trying to keep her voice
steady. 1t was N. And then, in
one word, came the letters p-b-j -j-n-e-q."
THAT means A coward" he said
His voice was unsteady, and he
clutched suddenly at her hand. She
could feel that his was trembling, so
she took 1t in both of hers and held
it tight.
It's a CODE" he said, "a boyish code
of my own. l remember that for a
long time after l invented it be-
lieved it to be utterly insoluble; yet it
was childishly simple. 1t consists
simply of splitting the alphabet in
two and using the last half for the
first, and vice versa, 1t must have oc.
CURED to hundreds of boys, at one
time and another, and yet" his voice
faltered. Yet, it's a little odd that
you should have stumbled upon. an
other example of It,"
THE next word was o-r-g-e-n-l-r-q."
THAT means betrayed" he said.
almost instantly "Was-was there any
| more"
"One little word, three letters,
u-v-z But know already what they
mean, Philip" There was moment,
ary silence, then she repeated the
whole phase-"'A coward betrayed
him. She was trembling all over
now, herself. Il knew" she said, 81
knew 1t was something like that
Then she dropped down beside him
and clasped him tight in her arms
Philip, that was written around youl
picture, an old picture of you it mus
have been. which fell out of youl
pocket when | was undressing yor
that night after your fight with Ros
closed in as Mr.. Hunters. had Otter
seen it on his watch fob, and it's en-
grayed with his initials"
1T fell out of my pocket" sale
Philip, incredulously.
Yes" she said, that puzzled me
too. for awhile; and finally | figuret
t out. You must have found it"
THAT night in Roscoe's cave, whel
was waiting for him. | had forgot
ten 1t until this moment"
Il knew 1t must be like that" sh,
said, something like that. And wasn'
1t she began
Hunters code as well as mine
Yes. We made 1t up together whel
we were boys" he said. "and we use,
1t occasionally even after we left tn
Point. We wrote in IL, both of us, a
easily as In English; and read 1t tn
same way"
Tier younS arms still held him fast.
J philip, he must have been sorr
a long time-almost since 1t happened
it's an old, old picture of you
dear, and the ink of the letters l
faded. He's carried 1t with him eve
J since, as a reminder of the wrong b
did you, and of his cowardice in LEI
| ting ynu as;tfpr under IL -