The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-03-16

of our clues. The fourth is quite as
significant, and all together they ell
able us to advance with considerable
assurance another step.
Let us see. Counting around the
outside of the key-square, we learn
that there are twenty-four spaces or
column ends, opposite each Of which
is set one of the capital or cipher
letters. This leaves two letters Of the
alphabet that are rot utilized, and my
temporary rejection of x and z is not
altogether arbitrary, as you will pres
emily see.
For one thing they are two letters
Z particularly-thata are used COM
paratively seldom; but in our cipher
x appears five times and q four; once
Ky appear in combination, and TX
once. Furthermore it is significant that
both appear among the first eleven
letters Of the cipher message, and not
at all among the last forty-One. II x
and q were inserted merely to mis-
lead and obscure, such would be the
natural psychological tendency of the
writer with mind intent on getting the
correct letters for his message.
Again, subtract 8, the number of
times these two letters appear, from
1913: the result is ia, an even number
susceptible of being grouped into
pairs.
I'VE may now go forward still an
other step, then if my hypothesis is
wrong we shall soon know it.
"Consider once more A, B and l,
the three letters that do not appear.
Here, trust, is our clue not only to
the arrangement of the letters inside
the square, but Of tho cipher capitals
around the border.
Here is detail our cipher writer
never considered: The last ten
squares of the key-square are occu-
pied by the nine numerals and the
zero. If this cipher message contains
no number expressed in numerals,
there are eighty different two-letter
combinations that would not be used,
eight for each of these ten squares.
The bottom horizontal column con-
tains nothing but numerals; conse-
quently the two cipher letters at either
end Of this column. would not appear
if the message contains no number.
The column next above contains only
the last two letters of the alphabet,
and z, two letters that are COM
paratively seldom used.
Nov then, is it not likely that A is
at one end or the other OF either the
last horizontal column or the one i'm
mediately above it, that B is also a
designator Of one CT the other Of these
two columns and the capital | still
third designator?
but l believe | can determine the
value of still fourth cipher letter,
the letter J. 1t appears just once in
our cryptogram, then between two Qs.
This determines fifth cipher capital
letter; because if A is the deslgnator
at the right of the horizontal column
next the bottom, the capital B the
designator at the right of the bottom
horizontal column, and G, D, E, r, G.
and II the bottom designators in Sc
Oll w LSII3 "'bAo w
opposite B and opposite A. Still in
sequence, @ would designate at the
top the third vertical column Thus
either O. or 20 would indicate the
numeral 1.
I'VE are pretty positive now where
the cipher capitals belong around the
border outside the key-square. If, in
addition, my arrangement of the al
phabet inside the square corresponds
with the key used by the writer of the
cipher, the reading OF his message
means only the matter of little time
and trouble.
while l make a few tests you
group the letters Of the cipher mes
sage into pairs, eliminating X and q,
Of course, every time they appear
For some minutes there was silence
while the two bent their heads over
their tasks. With the first eight or
ten pairs of letters of the cipher be-
fore him Hazard made several false
beginnings; then by and by, very gent
ly and undemonstratively, he leaned
across the desk and patted Helen's
hand.
My dear girl he announced.
we've got it. Take this key and
try for yourself"
The key-square he handed across
the desk to her appeared thus:
O q Q e $