The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15
IlTREMEMBER those boyish devices"
 said Crewe, with smile. "But true

= cryptograph is more scientifically ,lSed than that Systems of secret writings re practically unlimited in number and 'ariety and so are solutions Human nature ates being baffled and the human brain has ,erformed some really wonderful achieve ments-at the expense of much effort and ,atence-in solving systems of cryptography which the inventors deemed to be insoluble. l have a weakness for cryptograms my self, and at one time collected quite a small library on secret writings, from the earlier works by Bacon and Trithemius, to the more modern works by German cryp- tographists, who have devised some remark amlly complicated systems which, no doubt, were largely used by the Germans before and during the war for secret service work. It is astonishing the number of books which have been written on the subject by men who believed they had discovered insolu- ble systems of secret writings, and by men who have set out to prove that no -sys- tenn of secret writings is insoluble. Even the ancient Hebraic prophets used cryptog- raphy at times to veil their attacks on the wicked Kings of Isreal"
 How long do cryptograms-th more
 
 "Some cryptograms can be solved in an hour; others may take months"
 "Do you think that this one will prove very diffcult?" asked Marsland, pointing - to the Cliff Farm plan as he spoke.
 "I cannot say until I have studied it more closely. The solution of any crypto- gram depends first on whether you have any knowledge of the particular system used, and then on finding the key. It is quite possible and frequently happens, that one is able to reconstruct the particular system of secret writing from which a cryptogram has been constructed, and then fail to find the key. A really scientific cryptogram never leaves the key to guess work he would be defeating his own ends. This particular cryptogram looks to me to be scientifically constructed; cannot say yet whether it is possible to reconstruct it and solve it."
 Crewe resumed his scrutiny of the plan makin goccs,onal entries in his notebook as he did so.
 Marsland leaned back in an easy chair, lit a cigar, and watched him in silence. The detectives remark convinced him that there cryptography and the puzzle diversions of his schoolboy days, and he felt that he would be more of hindrance than help if he attempted to assist Crewe in his task of unraveling the secret of the hidden wealth whose hiding place had been indicated by its deceased owner in the symbols and hieroglyphics the faded sheet of paper. He reclned comfortably in his chair, watch ing languidly though half-closed eyes and of olya ho Nofo ipto lectual face bent over the plan in intense concentration. After a while Crewe's face seemed to grow shadowy and indis- tinct, and finally it disappeared behind the tobacco smoke. Marsland had fallen fast asleep in his chair.
 He was awakened by hand on his shoul- der, and struggled back to consciousness to find Crewe standing beside him, his dark eyes smiling down at him. T am afraid I fell into doze," Mars land murmured apologetically, as the room and it's surroundings came back to him.
 You've been sleeping soundly for nearly TWO hours, ;" said Crewe, with smile.
 'Impossiblev' exclaimed Marsland. He took out his watch and looked at it in as tonishment. "By Joce, it's actually 6 o'clock. Why didn't you wake mel"
 "What for? I became so absorbed in the old mans secret that I had no idea of the flight of time till looked at my watch few minutes ago. He has evolved very neat cryptogram-very neat and workman like. It quite pleasure to try to de- cipher it.'
 .'Have you found out anything about it?" 'I believe I have solved t.'