Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-07-20
A CIPHER
NOTE
By MARGARET BARR
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By MARGARET BARR


confidence in him is because he's so
careless. If he had occasion to keep
anything from me he couldn't do it.
For instance, if he should receive a
love letter from any illegitimate source
he would be sure to have it in his
pocket"
"But how would that give him
away?" asked Mrs. Bradshaw.
"Why, my dear woman, there's not
a night when he is in bed and asleep
that don't go through his pockets"
"It's the only safe way with men,"
Time came when Mrs. Ack1ey in 60
ing through her husbands pockets re-
ceived shock. She came upon bit
of paper on one side Of which was her
husbands name written in a woman's
hand, on the other certain mysterious
fgures-1, II, 8, 3, 5.
Mrs. Ackley turned pale. She loved
her husband Notwithstanding the fact
that she thought it necessary to watch
him. She had gone through his peck
cts for years dreading that she would
Inconsistency, and at last the blow had
fallen. She almost wished she had
remained in ignorance. Possibly she
would have burned the message had
not curiosity interposed to prevent her
doing So She wiped a tear from her
eye and looked at the paper again.
There were the figures 1, Il, 8, 3, 5.
Doubtless every figure stood for some
loving word.
Getting her feelings under control,
she began to puzzle over the figures
with a view to their Interpretation.
It was the first day Of May; there
fore the figure I might refer to the
day Of the month. But II came next,
and the twelfth month is December
By beginning at the other end the
theory fitted better. May was the
fifth month. The figure conceded
with the month exactly. The next
figure, 3, might stand for the day Of
the month. 9 possibly marking the
hour. The figures indicated that the
sender wished Mr.. Ackley to meet her
on the Sd day of May fhe next day
but one) at 9 o'clock. Twelve might
mean the termination of the meeting,
the hour it would be necessary for the
woman to leave him. But was it not
from 8 to II in the morning or 9 to II
in the evening. 81 have it." she eX-
claimed. '"The figure 1 indicates that
it is the first 9 to II of the hour in the
day or in the morning. Of course it
wouldn't do for them to meet in the
evening I might have something to
say about that In the morning, when
he is at his office, am supposed to be
powcrless We shall see."
Having doubts about the correctness
Of this deciphering of the message,
she tried another theory. Possibly the
figures might spell a word that would
mean a whole sentence. She tried
several plans and at last hit upon one
making the figures represent letters.
The first figure was 1. and A is the
first letter Of the alphabet.
'Eureka!' she exclaimed.
Then she read, 1. A; II, L; 8, I; 3. G;
5, E-Alice
"Aha," she cried. $50 the name is
Alicer
She thought over all the women she
knew, but none was named Alice.
Her rival could not therefore, be one
of her friends or acquaintances. She
must be some one her husband had
met whom she, his wife, knew moth
ing about. She would unearth this
plot, but she would not spoil it by let
ting it be known that she possessed
the secret.
When Ackley came home for dinner
and gave his wife the usual marital
kiss he noticed that her lips were cold
Don't feel very we'll, dear?" he ask
ed.
Mrs. Ackley declared that she was
perfectly we'll. Nevertheless, though
she tried to appear as'usual, she failed.
The next day Mrs. Ackley, after
breakfast, went to her mothers to re-
main for the day. She could not bear
to remain in the house with the man
who was deceiving her. She telephoned
him during the day that she would
remain away all night Mr.. Ackley
passed the evening at his club. went
home at and the next morning, hav-
ing breakfasted went to his office.
There he found a note from man
with whom he had an important bust
ness deal asking him to be at certain
place at $50 a. m. Mr.. Ackley left his
Office without saying where he was
going. He did not return till half past
II.
When he did return he found his
wife in the Office looking like a thun-
dercloud. She had been there three
hours nursing her wrath to keep it
warm" and an accumulation of vim
dictiveness had placed her in a con-
dition frightful to behold. Those in
the Office were waiting an explosion.
When Mr.. Ackley entered he looked at
his wife, astonished Without a word
she took from her portemonnaie the
cipher message and handed it to him.
Miss Quimby," said the gentleman