pocket the various slips dancing men in front of him he worked for study-table Finally he handed note boy, with directions it hands person addressed, and especially to answer no questions of any sort which put to him the outside note, addressed in straggling, irregular characters, very unlike Holmes's usual precise hand consigned to Mr Abe Slaney, Elrige's Farm, East Ruston, Norfolk

" , inspector," Holmes remarked, "that do well to telegraph for an escort, as, calculations prove correct, particularly dangerous prisoner to convey county gaol The boy who takes this note could forward your telegram an afternoon train to town, Watson, do well it, as chemical analysis of some interest to finish, and this investigation draws rapidly to close "

youth dispatched note, Sherlock Holmes gave his instructions servants If any visitor were asking Hilton Cubitt no information given her condition, but shown at once drawing-room He impressed these points upon them utmost earnestness Finally he led the way drawing-room remark business was now out hands, while away the time as best until we in store The doctor had departed patients, and only the inspector and myself remained

" that an hour in an interesting and profitable manner," said Holmes, drawing his chair table and spreading out in front of him the various papers were recorded the antics dancing men "As , friend Watson, I owe you every atonement for having allowed your natural curiosity to remain unsatisfied , inspector, the whole incident may appeal as remarkable professional study tell you first of all the interesting circumstances connected previous consultations which Mr Hilton Cubitt has had with me in Baker Street " He then shortly recapitulated the facts already been recorded " here in front of me these singular productions, at which one might smile had they not proved themselves the fore-runners of so terrible tragedy fairly familiar with all forms of secret writings, and am myself the author of trifling monograph , I analyse one hundred and sixty separate ciphers; but I confess entirely new The object who invented the system has apparently been to conceal characters convey message, and the idea the mere random sketches of children

"Having once recognised, however, symbols stood for letters, and having applied the rules which guide us in all forms of secret writings, the solution was easy enough The first message submitted was so short impossible more than with some confidence symbol stood for E aware, E most common letter English alphabet, and it predominates to so marked an extent that even in short sentence one would expect it most often Out of fifteen symbols first message four were the same, so reasonable to set this down as E true that in some cases the figure was bearing flag and in some cases not, but probable way flags were distributed were used to break the sentence up into words I accepted this as hypothesis, and noted that E was represented by

"But now came the real difficulty inquiry The order English letters after E is by no means well marked, and any preponderance shown in an average of printed sheet reversed in single short sentence Speaking roughly, T, A, O, I, N, S, H, R, D, and L are the numerical order letters occur; but T, A, O, and I are very nearly abreast of , and it an endless task each combination until meaning was arrived at I, therefore, waited for fresh material In my second interview with Mr Hilton Cubitt able two other short sentences and one message, which appeared -- since no flag -- single word Here are the symbols Now, single word already got the two E's coming second and fourth in word of five letters It `sever,' or `lever,' or `never ' There no question latter as reply to an appeal is far the most probable, circumstances pointed to its being reply written lady Accepting it as correct, now symbols stand respectively for N, V, and R

"Even now in considerable difficulty, but happy thought put me in possession of letters It occurred that if these appeals came, as I expected, from someone who intimate lady in her early life, combination which contained two E's with three letters between might stand name `ELSIE ' On examination that such combination formed the termination message three times repeated certainly some appeal to `Elsie ' I had got my L, S, and I But what appeal could it be ? There were only four letters word which preceded `Elsie,' and it ended in E Surely the word `COME ' I tried all other four letters ending in E, but could find none to fit the case So now in possession of C, O, and M, and to attack the first message once more, dividing it into words and putting dots for each symbol still unknown So treated it worked out fashion:--

M ERE . E SL NE

"Now the first letter CAN only be A, most useful discovery, since it occurs no fewer than three times short sentence, H is also apparent second word Now it becomes:--

AM HERE . E SLANE

Or, filling obvious vacancies name:--

AM HERE ABE SLANEY

I had letters now that proceed with considerable confidence second message, which worked out fashion:--

. ELRI ES

Here only make sense by putting T and G missing letters, and supposing name of some house or inn at which the writer was staying "

Inspector Martin and I had listened utmost interest full and clear account of how my friend had produced results which had led to so complete command over our difficulties

"What did then, sir ? " asked the inspector

"I had every reason to suppose Abe Slaney was an American, since Abe is an American contraction, and since letter from America the starting-point of all the trouble I had also every cause that some criminal secret matter The lady's allusions to her past and her refusal her husband into her confidence both pointed direction I therefore cabled to my friend, Wilson Hargreave, New York Police Bureau, who has more than once made use knowledge of London crime I asked him whether the name of Abe Slaney was known to him his reply: `The most dangerous crook in Chicago ' very evening I had his answer Hilton Cubitt sent me the last message from Slaney Working with known letters it took this form:--

ELSIE RE ARE TO MEET THY GO

The addition of P and D completed message which showed me rascal was proceeding from persuasion to threats, and my knowledge crooks of Chicago prepared me that he might very rapidly put his words into action I at once came to Norfolk with my friend and colleague, Dr Watson, but, unhappily, only worst had already occurred "

" privilege associated handling of case," said the inspector, warmly " excuse me, however, if I speak frankly only answerable to yourself, but to answer to my superiors Abe Slaney, living at Elrige's, is indeed the murderer, and if he his escape while seated here, certainly get into serious trouble "

"You uneasy try to escape "

"How ? "

"To fly confession of guilt "

"Then go to arrest him "

"I expect him here every instant "

"But why should he come ? "

"Because written and asked him "

"But incredible, Mr Holmes ! Why should he come because asked him ? such request rather rouse his suspicions and cause him to fly ? "

" known how to frame the letter," said Sherlock Holmes " , if not mistaken, gentleman himself coming up the drive "