"No; I did not think it was necessary to keep them. They all appeared within the last year."
"Humph," said Herrick, "I'll send for a file of the newspaper. But this cipher? I wish we could read it. I believe it has some connection with Carr's death, or at all events with the secret of his life."
"I can't make it out," said Bess looking at the cutting and the scrap of Chinese paper, "unless--" she hesitated.
"Well, unless what?"
"I was talking to Frisco one day," said Bess, "he had been drinking rum as usual and was rather drunk. The Colonel had sent him to the post-office for the letters and he held one in his hand the only one which had come that day. It was about three months ago, shortly after I picked up the piece of Chinese paper. This one," she shook it at Herrick.
"I understand. Go on!"
"I noticed that the envelope of the letter Frisco carried was of the same paper."
"Ha!" cried the doctor, "this is interesting. Yes?"
"Frisco was shaking the letter--waving it over his head, and singing. I stopped to tell him he ought to be ashamed of himself being in such a state, when he knew perfectly well how to behave."
"One minute," interrupted Herrick remembering what Frith had said "was this Frisco a gentleman?"