The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-07-25
The "Crevice"

came to the door here It was locked!
For the first time in his life, my
father had locked himself in, from
me! He would not answer me at
first, as l called to him. and l was
nearly frightened to death before he
spoke. When he did, his voice sound
ed so harsh and strained that ! scarce
| ly recognized it. He told me that he
didn't want anything to eat; he had
some private business to attend to,
and / was not to wait up for him, but
to go to bed when | wished
II crept away. and went to my room
at last, but l could not sleep. 1t was
nearly morning when Father went to
bed, and his step was heavy and drag
ging as he passed by door. His room
is next to mine, and l heard him toss
ing restlessly abou-and once or twice
/ fancied that he groaned as if in pain.
He was up in the morning at his usual
time, but he looked Ill and worn, as
if he had aged years in that one night.
Neither of us mentioned the letter,
then or at any subsequent time, but
he has never been the same man
since"
And the letter-you never saw it,"
Morrow asked eagerly, his detective
instinct now thoroughly aroused. you
don't know what that envelope post
marked Brooklyn contained?"
"Oh, but l do" Emily exclaimed.
Father had thrust it in the stove, but
the first had gone out, without his
noticing it. / found it the next morn
ing, when l raked down the ashes"
"You-read it," Morrow carefully
steadied his voice.
NO" she shook her head, with a
faint smile That's the queer part of
1t all. No one could have read it-no
one who did not hold the key to it, I
mean. 1t was written in some secret
code or cipher, with oddly shaped
figures instead of letters; dots and
cubes and triangles. l never saw any
thing like it before. couldn't under
stand why anyone should send such
funny message to my father, instead
Of writing it out properly
What did you do with the letter.
did you destroy it," This time the
detective made no effort to control
the eagerness in his tones, but the
girl was so absorbed in her problem
that she was oblivious to all else.
Il suppose l should have, but l
didn't. l knew that it was what my
father had intended, yet somehow
felt that it might prove useful in the
future-that l might even be helping
Father by keeping it, against my own
judgment The envelope was partially
scorched by the hot ashes, but the
inside sheet remained untouched. |
hid the letter behind the mirror on
my dresser, and sometimes. when |
have been quite alone, | took it out
and tried to solve it, but I couldn't. |
never was good at puzzles when I was
little, and l suppose | lack that de-
ductive quality now. | was ashamed,
too, it seemed so like prying into
things which didn't concern me, which
my father didn't wish me to know;
still, | was only doing it % try to help
him"
Morrow WINGED, and drew a long
breath. Then resolutely he plunged
into the task before him.
Emily, don't think that l want to
pry, either, but if | am to help you |
must see that letter. If you trust me
and believe in my friendship, let me
see it. Perhaps l may be able to dis
cover the key in the first word or
two, and then you can decipher it for
yourself. You understand, | don't
wish you to show it to me unless you
really have confidence in me, unless
YOU are sure that there is nothing in it
which one who has your welfare and
peace of mind at heart should not
see
More Wednesday,