Page:James - Ghost Stories of an Antiquary .djvu/283

252 one finger extended, John has two, Zechariah has three. May not there be a numeral key concealed in that? My dear Gregory,' said Mr. Somerton, laying his hand on his friend's knee, 'that was the key. I didn't get it to fit at first, but after two or three trials I saw what was meant. After the first letter of the inscription you skip one letter, after the next you skip two, and after that skip three. Now look at the result I got. I've underlined the letters which form words:

RVIIOPEDOOSMVVISCAVBSBTAOT

DIEAMLSIVSPDEERSETAEGIANR

FEEALQDVAIMLEATTHOOVMCA.H.Q.E.

'Do you see it? "Decem millia auri reposita sunt in puteo in at . . ." (Ten thousand [pieces] of gold are laid up in a well in . . .), followed by an incomplete word beginning at. So far so good. I tried the same plan