Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1912-05-30

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 lodger.
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. 1t
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. l suppose when you
doctored you found yourself studying
cases without thought of fee?"
For my education, Holmes"
"Education never ends, Watson. 1t
is a series of lessons with the greatest
for the last. This is an instructive
case. There is neither money nor
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, 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
scurity.
Someone is moving in that ROOM" :"
said Holmes in a whisper, his gaunt
and eager face thrust forward to the
window-pane. Eyes, I 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?
ATTENTA' gives no sense. Nor
is it any better as three words-'A T.
TEN. TA,' unless TA.' are a per-
sons initials. There he goes again!
What's that? ATTE-why, it is the
same MESSAGE aver again; Curious;
once morel AT-why, he is repeat
ing It for the third time. 'ATTEN
TA' 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 He has withdrawn from the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 1t,
Watson?"
"A cipher message, Holmes"
My companion gave a sudden
chuckle of comprehension. "And not
a very obscure cipher, Watson" said
he. "Why, of course, 1t is Italian!
The "A means that 1t is addressed
10 a woman. Beware! Beware! Be
ware!' How's that, Watson?"
81 believe you have hit it."
"Not doubt Of it. 1t is a very ur-
gent message, thrice repeated to make
It more so. But beware Of what?
Wait a 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 We're renewed. They came
moro rapidly than be'n"e-sn rs.id
H.. it vas nard TO follow th'm.
"'P PERICOLO' -'pericClo,- Lh,
what's that, Watson? Danger, isn't
il? Yes, by Jove, its's danser
signal. There he goes again! p z Il L.
Halloa, wh2t On earth"
Tie light aad suddenly gone out,
the glimm' i. : square Of window had
disappear md the third floor formed
a dark ba. round the lofty building,
with its rs of shining easements.
That last ming 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 Somc deviltry going forward!
Why should such u message stop in