"I thought it might be a date," said Marsh-Carr apologetically.
Dr. Jim laughed. "It might--on the other hand it might not."
"You forget the figures are concealed the same as the letters," said Stephen.
"How do we know that," retorted the doctor. "Fifteen may be the key to the cipher. You may count one, or count five: or add the two together and count six: or subtract the two and count four. Then again you may have to count from left to right or right to left. And after all the cipher may be in Spanish, or English or in the Indian tongue for the matter of that; Carr was mixed up with the South American Indians you know. We'll never discover it Stephen. But I tell you what," added Jim struck with a sudden thought, "this Mexican devil may know what it means!"
"In that case he must have put it in the paper," said Stephen, "he knew Carr and the cipher was used by Carr. What is more likely----"
Herrick frowned. "There is some conspiracy on," he muttered. "I do not see what it all means. We must learn what these ciphers mean Stephen. It is a serious matter. Do you think the key might be found amongst your uncle's papers?"
"He left no papers," replied Stephen, "I have looked."
Dr. Jim shook his head. The thing was beyond him. He replaced the Chinese paper in his pocket-book, and cut out the notice in the Telegraph. "I say Stephen," he said while thus employed, "did your uncle take in the 'Daily Telegraph?'"
"Yes! He used to pass it on to Bess when he had done with it."
"There you see!" cried Jim triumphantly, "another link. This cipher has been put in the newspaper your uncle usually read. Oh, be sure it has to do with his business--perhaps with his death. Well, we shall see."