"Do you know anything about
ciphers?"
"Only the trade one that our firm uses," replied the jewel
dealer. "And that's a modification of the A B C code."
"Well," he said, "take a look at this."
The jewel dealer sat down at the other side of the table and the
Baronet handed him the sheet of paper. The man expected to see a
lot of queer signs and figures; but instead he found a simple
trade's message, as it seemed to him.
P.L.A. shipped nine hundred horses on freight steamer Don Carlow
from N. Y.
Have the bill of lading handed over to our agent to check up.
"Well," said the jewel dealer, "somebody's going to ship nine
hundred horses. Where's the mystery?"
The Baronet shrugged his big shoulders.
"The mystery," he said, "is everywhere. It's before and after
and in the body of this message. There's hardly anything to it
but mystery."
"Who sent it?" said Hargrave.
"That's one of the mysteries," replied the Baronet.
"Ah!" said the jewel dealer. "Who received it?"
"That's another," he answered.
"At any rate," continued Hargrave, "you know where you got it."
"Right," replied the Baronet.
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