"Gentlemen," he said, with provoking coolness, "this is a remarkable offer of yours. It is one that should not be accepted hastily. How long are you willing to give me that I may think it over?" His tempters tried in every way to bring him to an immediate decision, but were not successful. "Let me take a turn in the fresh air, and get a good dinner," Ray persistently said. "At two o'clock I will meet you here, and give you a decided answer." The men finally yielded a reluctant consent, and Ray hastened down to the street. Glancing over at the clock tower, he saw it was five minutes to twelve. "Two hours," he said, with an air of relief. "A great deal can sometimes be done in two hours." Then he hurried off to find a telegraph office. CHAPTER XVII. RAY'S DECISION AND ITS RESULT. While in the Afton Graded School, Ray had become familiar with a code of communication among the scholars, wherein numerals were used for the consonants, and certain consonants for the vowels. He knew Edward Lawton was equally familiar with the code, and entering the telegraph office, he embodied the following message in the apparently meaningless symbols, and had it forwarded to him: Please translate this message and hand to Mr. Bacon. Have Blake, I. T. Smith, and my father arrested as accomplices of Hyde. There is no mistake about this. On my arrival, at eight o'clock to-night, I will make a full explanation. Make the arrests before two o'clock, or their confederates here will warn them to escape. Let me hear from you, if possible, before two. Direct to me at this office. RAY BRANFORD. It cost quite a sum to send the message, but Ray paid the amount cheerfully, and telling the operator he would call for a reply, he went on to the nearest restaurant and got his dinner. On his return to the office half an hour later, he found this message awaiting him, in the same code that he had employed: Your message was received, and as Edward was not at home, I translated it, and carried it to Mr. Bacon. He directs me to say that the officers have already been sent to make the arrests, and he will report their success before two, if possible. DAISY LAWTON. "It is a strange code you are using," remarked the operator, inquisitively, as Ray slowly deciphered the message. "Yes, sir," Ray quietly admitted; then he said: "There may be another message for me before two o'clock. I will call for it." He now left the office, and walked briskly about the streets, admiring the massive buildings and the other evidences of thrift and enterprise for which the city was noted. Fifteen minutes before two he returned for his expected message. "There is none," the operator replied; "but it is not yet two, and we may receive it any moment."