The Washington times., 1917-08-04

4 SNASNSuSo VI NhtA1 pdpNFt hlolO uObs nut
prove that severac 10 alive, for Afch-
illien might have received Il before
Severac disappeared SO mysteriously.
In any event, we will be wiser In a
moment"
Then you know the key?" said
, Vera, softly, while her right hInS
grasped the dagger more nrniIy in her
nun.
''Yes, in his cell the day before he
was to go to the scaffold, Sevsr1c save
II to me, out of the generosity Of sa-
want to savant"
II II. Bertillon had looked at Vera.
he would have surprised a twitchlng
OF the young girls lips and a stringe
hardness in her lovely eyes. But he
was only looking at the crypt3gran.
Follow the explanation" he said.
not thinking that perhaps S4 was
about to give up a formidable secret.
Vera's naive bearing, however, would
have disarmed any suspicion. You
will soon see that this cryptogram is
/ only difficult because II is so simple.
Vera bent over the table, ana with
ears, eyes and her whole being alert
she followed the explanations.
Il take a piece OF paper ruled OF
into squares" said II. BertilIon, suit
ing the action to the words. The
cryptogram begins with the number
20. Because of this number I write
vertically in the squares to the left
Of the page the numbers 70 90" e.
81 do the same horizontally, begin
ming with the square to the right and
on the line above the first 1. Now
/ take the text OF the eryptogram and
transcribe horizontally. placing each
letter, figure and sign In q square by
itself. beginning at the right Of the
nrst figure / and Immediately under
the second. Thus / get the chart
which you are about TO see"
Not a muscle OF Vera's face moved
while N. BeTtillon, all the while busy.
worked out the chart, a. shown in the
Illustration above.
Now" went on II. BSrtillon, you
will notice q sign which Is placed at |
the end of the original cryptoEram. |
what does It mean?" said Vera |
gently.
sign upon the chart with a pencil, be- |
ginning with the nrst letter, G, and
going down diagonhlly.
at 10 very simple. without taking |
into account the other letters, which |
are only there to confuse the un- !
initiated, we will transcribe one after |
the other, the letters through which |
the pencil has passed. Then we shall |
know just what Severac wrote to his |
correspondent.
"Ah," said Vera.
She rose. ~ II ImpelIed by her curl
asIty. walked around the table and
stO0A behind ". BertiIIon. She bent
ever him with her right hand slightly
6t her mum, and the blade Of the dag
ger hidden In the depths of the fur.
Without suspecting his terrible dan
ger. NJ. BeTtillon. smiling, began TO
write rapidly:
"RosAseRoT TosENDvERAAND
n oNEYHAVEIAiPoR TANTHoSTAGE
sAFEsUcCEsSFUL.
These" he said, are the only sig
nifeant letters. Nov have only to
transcribe them, divided into words.
It is easy as you see"
He read aloud:
"RoGa's grotto send Vera and"-
The poor mnR did not nnIHh. Vera's
arm was lifted. The blade Of the
dagger shone In her eIenched head nm
instant. and IL was buried In VI. Der
tIIIoR's neck. The EaVHnt could not
even cry cut. He EhuddeFed, then
sank back into his chair. VeFn enImIy
drew cut the knife and HprnnR awny
quickly n the blood spurted from the
terrible wound.
~ must have crossed the JuguIar
VEIN" said Vera. He Is dead, ind
with him my fathers secret. It can
only live again through me-"
She took the papers NJ. BertilIon
had written. folded Severao's cryptic
gram with them carefully, and slipped
hem all into her bodice.
Then she put on her hat and gloves,
wiped the knife on the table cover,
slipped II into her muff and, casting
! FINAL glance at the savant, said with
! shrug!
ut was necessary. The man would
rave betrayed us. Our greatest secret
vas in his hands. He suspected my
'ather's existence"
And, lightly assuming once more
Ter candid, child-like expression, she
vent out OF the study.
At the foot of this stairs she met
he old servant!
A new idea crossed her mind.
'Did you see 4 man outside your
TaTden reading q pRpsTi" she asked.
Yes, madsmolBslls," answered the
ervant.
"Ah, all the better, if he is the enc
!. BertiIIon expects"
She went into the garden, opened
he gate, and called calmly:
Monsieur! Aonsisur"