“Introducing yourself as Mr. S. Holmes of Baker Street, or how?” “No, I shall be the _Daily Mail_ reporter—unless I run into the real article on the mat. Now, would you mind following up the Masterman clue?” “What Masterman clue?” “There are only two Mastermans in the Telephone Directory. A man dressed like that would be sure to have a telephone.” “But I thought you’d made up your mind it wasn’t a local person at all, because of the ticket?” “I know, it’s probably a wild-goose chase, but it’s the best we can do on that tack. Both are at Binver; one’s a solicitor and one a doctor. I’ll give you the addresses.” “And I’m to go to them and ask them what kind of handkerchiefs they use? Or should I meet them accidentally and say, Excuse me, sir, could you lend me a handkerchief, I’ve left mine at home?” “Well, you can find out whether they’re dead, anyhow.” “And if they’re still alive?” “Well, scout around somehow. Do anything that occurs to you. This business ought to be rather fun, if we exercise a little ingenuity.” “Meanwhile, let’s have another look at those documents. We don’t seem to have made much out of them, and that’s a fact.” They sat for several minutes in silence, re-reading the copy Reeves had made of the anonymous letter. It was undated; the address was in printed capitals; it had been post-marked in London at starting, and at Paston Whitchurch on arrival. The content of the message was a mere series of numbers, as follows: 8 7 5 18 4 7 21 2 3 25 6 4 31 4 8 74 13 9 92 29 7 97 5 3 113 17 13 10 12 13 “Unless they’re sums of money,” said Gordon, “I can’t make head or tail of it all. And if they were sums of money, it would be a queer way to arrange the spacing.” “Wait one moment,” said Reeves, “I believe I’ve got the idea of it.” He put his hand to his forehead. “Yes, that does it. It’s a cipher, of course, otherwise there’d be something to explain what it’s all about. It will be a book cipher; the first figure gives you the page, the second the line, and the third the word in the line. How’s that?” “That’s devilish ingenious,” admitted Gordon, “but you can hardly prove it.”