“Everything fits in beautifully. ‘Kim’ was Father’s favorite book. And another thing, he was always interested in codes, secret inks and the like. During the war he worked for the government, deciphering messages which were thought to have been composed by spies. He was especially interested in secret inks.”
“Then we may be on the right track,” Madge declared enthusiastically. “The only way we can tell is to try to bring out the secret writing, if there is any.”
“That’s easy to do. Let’s go to the laboratory right now and see what we can do.”
With high spirits they raced up the stairs to Mr. Fairaday’s workroom. Anne brought out an alcohol lamp which she lighted.
“I don’t know the first thing about heating the pages,” Madge confessed. “Aren’t you afraid we’ll burn them?”
Anne shook her head. She had aided her father with any number of minor experiments and knew how to handle laboratory apparatus. However, she was so excited and hopeful that her hand trembled as she held the first fly leaf above the flame. She moved it slowly back and forth.
“Nothing seems to be coming up,” Madge observed in disappointment.
“We’re only starting.”
Anne worked patiently, heating the blank pages and the front and back of the book. When the final sheet did not reveal the secret, her confidence fell. Madge suggested that they try the margins and they took turns warming the printed pages. At length Anne passed the last sheet over the lamp. They watched with bated breath. Nothing came up.
“Oh, Madge, I’m so disappointed I could cry,” she wailed, sinking down into a chair. “I was so sure we were right.”