“No,” he said. “I am right, the old man was thorough to the last detail. He has given another clue to his heirs in the circle and the two lines. They represent a clock face. But the figures round them run the reverse way to clock figures. The cryptogram reads backwards. Hold it up to that mirror, and see.”
Marsland did so, and laid down the paper with a look of bewilderment.
“Search clock! The old grandfather clock at Cliff Farm!” he said.
CHAPTER XXIV
As the car swept around the deserted sea-front and through the scattered outskirts of the town, Crewe gradually increased the going, till by the time Staveley was left behind, and the Cliff road stretched in front of them, his powerful car was driving along at top speed. The night was not dark for the time of year; the windings of the road were visible some distance ahead: from the cliffs the rollers of the incoming tide could be seen breaking into white froth on the rocks below.
“It has occurred to me that, for a man who was afraid of a German invasion, old Lumsden selected a very bad hiding-place for his money,” said Marsland. “He could not have known of the reputation the German soldiers made for themselves in stealing French clocks in the war of 1870.”
“Perhaps not,” replied Crewe. “But I do not think he intended to leave the money in the clock when the Germans came. If he fled from the farm he would have taken it with him. His object in hiding it in the clock was to have it constantly under his eye.”
The car mounted the hill to the cutting through the cliff road near their destination, and as the road dipped downwards Crewe slackened the pace. Both of them were looking across towards the farm on the left. As it came into view Crewe exclaimed to his companion:
“Did you see that?”