XI.-American Horses
The thing began in the colony room of the Empire Club in London. The colony room is on the second floor and looks out over Piccadilly Circus. It was at an hour when nobody is in an English club. There was a drift of dirty fog outside. Such nights come along in October.
Douglas Hargrave did not see the Baronet until he closed the door behind him. Sir Henry was seated at a table, leaning over, his face between his hand, and his elbows resting on the polished mahogany board. There was a sheet of paper on the table between the Baronet's elbows. There were a few lines written on the paper and the man's faculties were concentrated on them. He did not see the jewel dealer until that person was half across the room, then he called to him.
“Hello, Hargrave,” he said. “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.