‘No, sir,’ Edgar put in modestly. ‘Mr Slimm is the hero. Had it not been for him, we could never have discovered the hidden mine. Talk about Aladdin’s lamp!’
‘And so you knew my poor client?’ broke in Mr Carver, addressing Slimm. ‘What a fine fellow he was in those days! I suppose you showed him the secret of the cipher?’
‘Wall, no, stranger,’ replied the American, the old Adam cropping out again strongly. ‘He guessed it by instinct, if it wasn’t something higher’n that. I did not know it myself, though it was sent to me by one very dear to me, to warn me of danger. You see, it might have come into the hands of an enemy who understood English, and it was just a desperate chance. It came a trifle late to save my peace of mind,’ he continued naturally and bitterly, ‘and I shall never forget it. The sight of that piece of paper in that lady’s hands,’ pointing to the important document, ‘gave me a touch of the old feeling when I first saw it.’
‘Poor fellow, poor fellow! Pray, don’t distress yourself upon our account. A mere explanation’——
‘I’d almost forgotten,’ replied Mr Slimm, taking the paper from Eleanor’s hands. ‘If you will be good enough to listen, I will explain it.’
They drew close round the table, and he proceeded to explain.
‘The paper I hold in my hand,’ said the American, ‘is filled with writing, commencing at the top of the paper, without anything of a margin, and ending in the same manner. The paper, you perceive, is ruled with dotted lines, which makes the task of deciphering the secret all the easier. It has five dotted perpendicular lines at equal distances; and four horizontal, not so equal in distance. These are guide-lines. Now, I will take the letter and fold it along the centre dotted line from top to bottom, with the writing inside—so. Then from the second dotted line, counting from the right-hand side, I fold it backwards, showing the writing—thus. Then I fold the fourth dotted line from the right hand over the writing. The first part is accomplished by turning the narrow slip of writing between the fifth line and the left-hand side back thus; and then you see this. The rest is simple. Fold the slip in two, keeping the writing inside; then turn the bottom portion back and fold it across the lower dotted line, and the puzzle is complete. Or there is yet a simpler way. In each corner of the paper there are a few words inclosed by the dotted lines. Begin at the top at the word “Darling,” then across the line to the words “Nelly, in.” Then the next line, which is all inclosed at the top in the corner squares. Read the same way at the bottom corner squares; and see the result. You are puzzled by the folding, I see; but try the other way. Here,’ he said, handing the paper to Nelly; ‘please read aloud what you can make of it.’
Following his instructions, Nelly made out the words thus:
| Darling | Nelly, in |
| the garden | under the |
| Niobe | you will |
| find my | money. |
The murder was out! The mystery which had puzzled every one was explained; and after all, it was so simple! The simplicity of the affair was its greatest safeguard. It was so simple, so particularly devoid of intricacy, that it had baffled them all. Something bewildering and elaborate they had expected, but nothing like this. Mr Carver, notwithstanding his joy, looked inexpressibly foolish. Edgar gave way to his emotion in mirth. ‘O shade of Edgar Allan Poe, what a climax!’ he exclaimed. ‘Was it for this our worthy friend waded through the abstruse philosophy of The Purloined Letter and the intricacies of The Gold Bug? Was it for this that The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Mystery of Marie Roget were committed to memory?’