sks for a letter for Mr. William
H. Robinson, finds it's gone, and is satisfied."

"Yes, and he'd be sure then that Robinson would go through all the
mailed ads with a fine-tooth comb, after that. But why the pin-pricks?
Just to disguise his hand?"

"Possibly. It's a fairly effectual disguise."

"Why didn't he address the envelope that way, then?"

"The address wouldn't be legible against the white background of the
paper inside. On the other hand, if he'd addressed all his envelopes by
pinpricks filled in with pencil lines, the post-office people might get
curious and look into one. Sending threats through the mail is a serious
matter."

Average Jones ran over the letter again. "Good man, Robinson!" he
observed. "He's penciled the date of receipt on each one, like a fine
young methodical business gent. Here we are: 'Rec'd July 14. Card
from Goshorn & Co., Oriental Goods.' Message pricked in through the
cardboard: 'You are suspected by your neighbors. Watch them.' Not bad
for a follow-up, is it?"

"It would look like insanity, if it weren't that--that through the
letters 'one increasing purpose runs,'" parodied Bertram.

"Here's one of July thirty-first; an advertisement of the Croiset Line
tours to the Orient. Listen here, Bert: 'Whither can guilt flee that
vengeance, may not follow?'"

"I can't quite see Robinson in the part of guilt," mused Bertram.
"What's next?"

"More veiled accusation. The medium is a church society announcement of
a lecture on Japanese Feudalism. Date, August seventeenth. Inscription:
'If there is no blood on your soul, why do you not face your judges?"'

"Little anti-climactic, don't you think?"

"What about this one of September seventh, then? Direct reference back
to the drug habit implied in the commitment blank. It's a testimonial
booklet of one of the poisonous headache dopes, Lemona Powders. The
message is pricked through the cover. 'Better these than the hell of
suspense.'"

"Trying the power of suggestion, eh?"

"Quite so. The second attempt at it is even more open. An advertisement
of Shackleton's Safeguard Revolvers. Date, September twenty-second.
Advice, by pin: 'As well this as any other way.'"

"Drug or suicide," remarked Bertram. "The man at the other end doesn't
seem particular which."

"There's the insane asylum always to fall back on. Under date of
October first, comes the Latherton Soap Company's impassioned appeal to
self-shaving manhood. Great Caesar! No