"I am certain to succeed with you. In the first place your nerves are not diseased: in the second you are less selfish, and thirdly you are sensible enough to see sense--and that last is not given to many men. Well, we have had a long talk Marsh, so we had better go to bed, and begin our new life to-morrow." It was three days after this that the two went up to London. Herrick called at Biffstead, and told Bess about his new relations with Stephen. She expressed herself greatly pleased. "You will do him no end of good," she said, "physical exercise is what he needs. He in making good use of his money," she added emphatically. "You have too good an opinion of me, Miss Bess." The girl laughed, and blushed. In her heart she liked Herrick greatly. He was so big, so strong, so sensible--exactly the sort of man she admired. Frank, her brother resembled him in many ways, but he was not so worldly-wise, nor perhaps so clever. However she was too much the woman to make a direct reply to Herrick's speech, and changed the subject. "When you come back we must have our talk," she said. "Meantime I shall give you something to go on with in London. Do you know anything about cryptographs Dr. Jim?" "No. I have looked into the subject once or twice, but I never did much good at it. Why?" Bess went to her desk and fished out a bit of paper. "I want you to see if you can solve this," she said. "I have done my best and failed. It is a piece of paper I picked up in the Colonel's house when he was alive. I am sure it has to do with his secret, whatever that might be. Else why should it be in secret writing?" Herrick took the paper she held out. It was a yellow kind of Chinese paper, tough, and wrinkled. On it was written in red ink the following, "S.g.d. K.Z.R.S. V.z.q.m.h.f. S.h.k.k. 1.5.I.t.k.x. S.i.d.n. C.d.z.s.g. T.m.k.d.r.r.----" This jumble of letters made Herrick stare. He could make nothing of them. Yet here, no doubt, was the secret of Colonel Carr! Perhaps if the writing could be read, the reason of his death might be explained, even the name of the assassin might be given. Bess watched him eagerly. "What do you think of it?" she asked. "I daresay it may help us," Herrick said doubtfully, "if the Colonel had a secret?" "_If_ he had," cried Bess emphatically. "I _know_ he had!" "Then it may be contained in this mixture of letters. You have failed, you say? Well Miss Bess, I don't know that I shall succeed. However I will try. You will let me have this?" "If you will take the very greatest care of it. I have a copy to be sure; but that is the original." "I'll bring it back to you safe and sound in two weeks." "You will be back then?" she asked with a quick flush. "Certainly. I shall arrange about my practice and return for good."