Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-04-22

proceed. This much we caI' say:
that It is no ordinary love escapade
You saw the woman's face at the sign
of danger. We have heard, too, OF the
attack upon the landlord, which. was
undoubtedly meant for the ledger
These alarms, and the desperate need
for secrecy, argue that the matter Is
one Of life or death. The attack upon
Mr.. Warren further shows that the
enemy, whoever they are, are them
selves not aware of the substitution
of the female lodger for the male. II
is very curious and complex, Wat
son."
why should you go further in IT.
What have you to gain from it,"
What indeed? 1t is Art for Arts
sake, Watson. / suppose when you
doctored you found yourself studying
cases without thought of a fee?'
For my education, Holmes"
Education never ends, Watson. Il
is a series Of lessons with the greatest
for the last. This is an instructive
case. There is neither money mol
credit in it, and yet one would wish
to tidy it up. When dusk comes We
should find ourselves one stage ad
yanced in our investigation"
When we returned to Mrs. War
ren's rooms, the gloom Of London
winter evening had thickened into one
gray curtain, a dead monotone Of col
or, broken only by the sharp squares
of the windows and the blurred haloes
Of the gas lamps. AS We peered from
the darkened sitting-room of the
clearinghouse, one more dim light
glimmered high up through the OBJ
security.
Someone is moving in that room,
said Holmes in a whisper, his gaunt
and eager face thrust forward to the
window-pane. Eyes, l can see his
shadow. There he is again. He has
a candle in his hand. Now he is
peering across. He wants to be sure
that she is on the lookout. Now he
begins to flash. Take the message
also, Watson, that we may check each
other. A single flash-that is "A,
surely. Now, then. How many did
you make it? Twenty. So did l. That
should mean IT. A That's intelli-
gible enough! Another IT. Surely
this is the beginning Of second
word. Now, then TENTA. Dead
stop. That can't be all, Watson?
ATHENA gives no sense. Nor
is it any better as three words-'A T.
TEN. TA,' unless IA are a per.
sons initials. There he goes again!
What's that? ATT E-why, it is the
same message over again. Curious,
Watson, very curious! Now he is off
once more! AT-why. he is repeat
ing it for the third time. "A T T E n
Ia three times! How often will he
repeat it? No, that seems to be the
finish. He has withdrawn from the
window. What do you make Of It,
Watson?"
"A cipher message, Holmes"
My companion gave q sudden
chuckle of comprehension. "And not
very obscure cipher, Watson" said
he. why, Of course. it is Italian!
The "a means that it is addressed
to a woman. Beware! Peware! Be-
ware! How's that, Watson?"
81 believe you have hit it,"
'Not doubt of it. 1t is very ur-
gent message, thrice repeated to make
il more so. But beware Of what?
Wait bit: he is coming to the win
dow once more
Again we saw the dim silhouette
of a crouching man and the whisk or
the small flame across the window, as
the signals were renewed. They came
more rapidly than before-so rapid
that it was bard to follow them.
PERICOLO -'pericolo,- Eth,
what's that, Watson? Danger, isn't
it? Yes, by Jove, its's danger
signal. There he goes again! p E R T.
Halloa, what on earth"
The light had suddenly gone out.
the glimmering square of window had
disappeared, and the third floor formed
a dark band round the lofty building,
with its tiers Of shining easements.
That last warning cry had been sud
denly cut short. How, and by whom
The same thought occurred on the in
slant to us both. Holmes sprang up
from where he crouched by the win.
dow.
This is serious, Watson" he cried.
There is some deviltry going forward!
Why should such message stop in
such a way2 should put Scotland
YARD in touch. with this businessman
yet, 1t IS too pressing for us to leave"
Shall l go for the police?"
I'VE must define the situation a lii.
tie more clearly. 1t may bear some
more innocent Interpretation. Come
Watson, let US go across ourselves
and see what we can make of it,"
AS we walked rapidly down Howe
street l glanced back at the building
which We had lett. There, dimly out
lined at the top window, I could see
h -. =