"I have looked at it," said Thorndyke evasively, "but I should like to
examine the original if you have it with you."
"I have," said the detective. "Professor Poppelbaum sent it back with
the solution. You can have a look at it, though I can't leave it with
you without special authority."
He drew the document from his pocket-book and handed it to Thorndyke,
who took it over to the window and scrutinized it closely. From the
window he drifted into the adjacent office, closing the door after him;
and presently the sound of a faint explosion told me that he had lighted
the gas-fire.
"Of course," said Miller, taking up the translation again, "this
gibberish is the sort of stuff you might expect from a parcel of
crack-brained anarchists; but it doesn't seem to mean anything."
"Not to us," I agreed; "but the phrases may have some pre-arranged
significance. And then there are the letters between the words. It is
possible that they may really form a cipher."
"I suggested that to the Professor," said Miller, "but he wouldn't hear
of it. He is sure they are only dummies."
"I think he is probably mistaken, and so, I fancy, does my colleague.
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